Land use - National Responses (Switzerland)

In conducting their spatially significant activities, the Swiss authorities are obliged to conserve the landscape and species-rich habitats. Construction projects are only approved, subsidised and implemented if they are justified on important public interest grounds, and only on condition that they are optimally fitted into the landscape. If valuable habitats suffer any degradation in the course of construction work, they must be reinstated or replaced. The Landscape 2020 document sets out a guiding vision of a landscape that provides habitat for all animal and plant species, and fosters human well-being and development (SAEFL, 2003)

In the near future, parks of national importance will be created: the purpose of national parks is to permit the conservation of large-scale natural habitats. Regional nature parks are intended to enable the sustainable use of local resources. Finally, nature discovery parks are designed to be recreational zones near large cities. The new parks represent an opportunity for regional development. Voluntary initiatives in more than 20 regions are working towards establishing new parks. Until 2010, one nature discovery park and two regional parks have been assigned with the park label. 14 parks have been accepted as candidates and three park projects are being audited.

References:

• FSO 2001: Federal Statistical Office (FSO), The changing face of land use. Landuse statistics of Switzerland, Neuchâtel, 2001.
• SAEFL 2003: Swiss Agency for the Environment, Forests and Landscape (SAEFL), Landscape 2020. SAEFL’s guiding principles for nature and landscape, Bern, 2003.