Erfahrungen mit Windwurf im Kanton Bern

Abstract

Experiences with windthrow in Canton Berne The winter storms Vivian (1990) and Lothar (1999) hit Canton Berne with its many privately owned forests hard. The main objective of state intervention was to protect the forest areas that had remained intact. Important success factors in the management of the event were the strong attachment of owners to their forest, the swift and clear strategic response by the forestry service, rapid credit approvals by government and parliament, and further the high level of motivation and persistence of all actors involved. Ensuring an open, regular and objective communication in a comprehensible form for all target groups and during all phases of the process was also of great importance. Framework conditions change, such as legal regulations, the political environment, the situation of forest owners and enterprises or the timber market. These present new challenges for those in charge. A next storm will again come unexpectedly and will have other impacts than Vivian or Lothar. But as then, a successful management of the event will depend on the motivation of forest owners, clear strategies, a competent forestry service, the political will to support measures in forests and along the wood chain, together with a good collaborative relationship between all actors.