The Swiss Federal Institute for Forest Snow and Landscape Research WSL

C10 Osterwald Eglofs

A cooperative forest enterprise

Osterwald-Eglofs (sources: Esri, Airbus DS, USGS, NGA, NASA, CGIAR, N Robinson, NCEAS, NLS, OS, NMA, Geodatastyrelsen, Rijkswaterstaat, GSA, Geoland, FEMA, Intermap and the GIS user community; Sources: Esri, HERE, Garmin, FAO, NOAA, USGS, © OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS User Community)

Portrait of the Osterwald Cooperative.

Geology Glacial moraine (Würm period); hilly, south-western Alpine foothills
Climate Submontane, 600–700 m.a.s.l.
Topography/Site 80 % plain to slightly inclined slopes, 20 % steeper slopes
Average annual precipitation/temperature 1500 mm/7 °C
Potential natural vegetation Submontane mixed mountain forest composed of Norway spruce (Picea abies), silver fir (Abies alba) and beech (Fagus sylvatica): 75 %
Ravine forest communities: 10 %
Peatland and riparian forests: 15 %
Total forest area 261 ha
Tree species composition Norway spruce (57 %); silver fir (25 %); beech (8 %); other broadleaves (9 %) including ash (Fraxinus excelsior), alder (Alnus glutinosa), sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus); other conifers (1 %)
Annual growth Annual increment amounts to about 13 m³/ha. Annual increment for Norway spruce is estimated at around 15 m³/ha and even higher for silver fir
Total volume 515 m³/ha
Annual cutting rate 13.5 m³/ha
Regeneration On 60 % of the total area
Protected areas – Natura 2000 area: 100 %
– Forest biotopes: 10 %
– Nature conservation areas: 1 %
– Forest areas for soil protection: 17 %
Recreation areas The entire Osterwald is designated as recreational area
Hunting Implemented by Osterwald Cooperative since 1992