Die Waldzusammenlegungen im Thurgauer Privatwald – ein Rückblick | Forest regroupment in private forests in Canton Thurgovia: a retrospective survey

Abstract

In Canton Thurgovia 12 000 hectares or 56% of the forested area, is privately owned. Within the framework of a total regrouping policy the number of plots per owner has been reduced to one or two since 1945 comprising almost the entire area of privately owned forest. A ban on the splitting up of plots prevents them from being split up again. The consequences of annual contributions and meetings of the legal forestry authorities is that groups of inheritors (Erbengemeinschaften)are disentangled and outside owners sell to local individuals who are interested. Thanks to good forestry practice yield is high, in as far as the wood is used. Although much of the private forest in the fruitful central plains still need to be restored, the regrouping of the forest prescribed by the Swiss Forest Laws has been abolished and without anything else being put in place. Practical, legal rules are urgently needed to regulate regrouping in order to ensure a common management of the forest in question.