Innertkirchen (Switzerland)

Reforest'Action invites you to accompany the natural regeneration of this dying forest in Switzerland!

The project at a glance  

• Number of trees to be planted: 75,000
• Plantation area: 50 hectares
• Species planted: alpine pine, spruce, European larch, mountain ash, willow, birch
• Project type: accompaniment of the natural regeneration of the forest
• Planting season: 2022-2023

The origin of the project

Located in Switzerland in the town of Innertkirchen, this project is located in the center of a mountainous massif. For several years, this forest has stopped regenerating. The cause is climate change, which is gradually causing the disappearance of certain species such as the arolle, a species of mountain pine. Previously widespread in the project areas, this species is now in strong competition with other species. In order to avoid a local disappearance of this species, which has a high commercial value and a high resistance to climatic hazards, it is necessary to assist its natural regeneration. 

Thanks to the various silvicultural works and to the valorization of 75 000 trees from diversified species, the forest ecosystem will be restored and more resistant to climatic hazards, as well as to the reception of the local fauna and flora. This method of gentle forest management will allow for less disturbance of the forest ecosystem, while ensuring the establishment of species adapted to the conditions of the region. Assisted natural regeneration will thus participate in the development of the local economy in the long term through the production of wood. Finally, these trees will participate in the fight against climate change by storing carbon.

The Assisted Natural Regeneration

Assisted Natural Regeneration (ANR) is a natural method that helps preserve and strengthen existing forests through management that combines the trees’ natural reproduction cycle with silviculture work. To find out more about our ANR projects, read our brochure or watch the explanatory video.

Generated benefits

• Fight against climate change: trees provide fruit, fodder, wood, resins, tannins etc. Once planted, they regulate temperatures through the shade of their foliage. Carbon sinks, they store CO₂ and are valuable allies in the fight against global warming. They restore soil fertility and prevent soil erosion.
• Development of biodiversity: agroforestry promotes biodiversity and provides multiple habitats and species. Micro-organisms, fauna and flora participate in the restoration of an ecological network. They provide refuges for birds that regulate pest populations on crops.
• Protection of territories: the trees regenerated in agroforestry help to protect the land from extreme weather events. By creating shaded areas, the trees preserve the crops during the dry season and provide them with a protective cover during the rainy season.
• Soil enrichment: the leaves fallen from the trees will allow the creation of organic matter that will enrich the soils and contribute to the proper functioning of the forest ecosystem.
• Wood supply: eventually, some mature trees may be harvested to supply the timber industry, economic lung that needs to operate a sustainable energy transition.
• Soil nutrition: trees retain rainwater on the soil surface and filter it before it enters the water table. Thus, forest canopies regulate the water cycle and help preserve the planet's water resources.