Forest and Wood Research Funding Switzerland (FOWO-CH)

Forest and Wood Research Funding Switzerland assists projects aimed at improving the competitiveness of the Swiss forestry and wood industry. It provides start-up grants to encourage personal efforts and the financial participation of third parties.

On 1 January 2020, Forest and Wood Research Funding Switzerland replaced the Fund for the Promotion of Forestry and Wood Research, which had been established in 1946.

Aim and purpose

Practical and applied research in the field of forestry to secure the future production potential of all forest products
Solution-oriented research and development in wood production and wood use
Implementation of the results obtained for the rapid transfer of knowledge and experience between educational and research institutions, the wood industry and the forestry sector

Lärche unter dem Mikroskop — Larch under the microscope
© Norbert Lange, pitopia

The Forest and Wood Research Funding Switzerland is coordinated by the Confederation. The cantons and the Confederation are represented on the steering committee, and they decide on whether or not to support the projects. An expert group assesses the project applications according to the research priorities of 2013. The Confederation and the cantons make their decisions separately. A total of CHF 770,000 is available for the promotion of forestry and wood research annually: the Confederation contributes CHF 470,000 and the cantons CHF 300,000.