Helvetia's protection forest campaign

There is an info sheet for every region planted by Helvetia (click "Further information" under the relevant region). All the forest regions and plantation sites are listed there. Each donated tree is listed on the protection forest certificate with a unique number. The consecutive numbers and signatures on the protection forest certificate confirm that Helvetia financed the saplings for the relevant forestry authorities and that they were planted. The freshly planted saplings are not individually numbered.

Protection forests are usually situated on steep, exposed terrain and are often difficult to access. It is not in the interest of Helvetia or the relevant forestry authorities that visitors walk in the protection forests. In your own interest we request that you not walk in the protection forests. We care about your health and safety.

If you would like to take a walk in a protection forest and are interested in the scientific details, we would advise you to use the protection forest paths that are provided and maintained by the Swiss Insurance Association throughout Switzerland.

Find out more

The cantonal forestry services conduct expert assessments and decide where it is appropriate to plant special tree species. Dossiers with background information for every project are available on our website.

Example of a dossier

We would like to implement protection forest projects in every canton if possible. However, it is up to the cantonal forestry services which professionally implement the protection forests to decide if there is a need for such a project.

Our projects support the professional work of the cantonal forestry services in the maintenance and care of Swiss protection forests to prevent or at least reduce damage caused by natural forces. The video to mark the 20th project in Switzerland provides a brief summary.

A protection forest keeps people, buildings, hiking paths and transport routes safe from natural forces.

Naturally, we provide for the maintenance and care of the trees in the protection forest as well. Anyone who orders a protection forest certificate donates one sapling to a Swiss protection forest. This donation is supplementary to Helvetia's campaign to donate 10,000 trees per project since 2010. The beneficiaries are the cantons in which tree planting and maintenance, including protecting the saplings from being browsed by wildlife, is professionally managed by the cantonal and regional forestry services.

Protection forests are often planted on steep, dangerous terrain. The saplings must be planted professionally to ensure that they can develop into strong, protective trees. We therefore leave this task in the capable and responsible hands of the cantonal forestry services.

The trees usually take about 20-30 years to develop their protective function.