Switzerland’s forests get top marks in world wide nature report

Switzerland's forests are the best in Europe, according to survey by the World Wide Fund for Nature. But the organisation warned that even Switzerland could do better.

Switzerland’s forests are the best in Europe, according to survey by the World Wide Fund for Nature. But the organisation warned that even Switzerland could do better.

The WWF study shows Switzerland leading the list of 19 European countries. Swiss forests came top in the survey which looked at nearly 100 different factors from environmental concerns to standards for the timber industry.

Overall, Switzerland scored 62 points out of a maximum of 100. The survey gave Swiss forests particularly good marks for safety, cultural and historical value and recreational facilities.

However, only 50 points were scored for the level of pollution and the amount of protected areas. The Swiss branch of the WWF urged Switzerland to expand protected zones, which currenty amount to only one per cent of the countryside.

With regard to the storms which severely damaged Swiss forests last December, the WWF recommended felling any damaged trees in an economically and ecologically sensible way.

A third of Switzerland’s surface area is covered by forests. Forestry officials say that between 1985 and 1995, the wooded area grew by four per cent.

From staff and wire reports