Wie können der Wald und die Holzindustrie vermehrt am «Holzbauboom» teilhaben? (Essay)

Abstract

How can forestry and the timber industry participate more in the timber construction boom? (Essay) While timber construction continues to gain market share, forestry and the timber industry have only been able to benefit to a limited extent from their good starting position. Harvest of sawlogs is stagnating and the number of sawmills has been decreasing for years. This is mainly due to the lack of competitiveness of Swiss forestry and timber industry compared to their European competitors who have lower production costs. On the other hand, the timber industry has been able to make significant gains in the production of semi-finished products, especially glued laminated wood. In order to maintain or even increase the quantities processed in the future, various factors are necessary, such as good availability of raw materials, strong market structures, the ability to make profitable use of wood by-products, a favourable Swiss franc/euro exchange rate and rising demand for Swiss wood. The timber industry is adjusting its structures to deal with an increased supply of large size logs and, as a result of climate change, a broader range of tree species. Sufficient availability of softwood remains important. Financial resources for adapting forests to climate change should be used to promote climate-stable AND economically viable tree species. The timber industry is sceptical about the current efforts of forestry to have standing timber counted as a “forest sink” and to market this function. Instead, it proposes a joint national climate project, based on wood consumption, that focuses on the storage and substitution effects of domestic wood.