Park of national importance

A park of national importance is a geographical area in Switzerland that is recognized by the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) as an “exceptional natural habitat or landscape of particular beauty”. The responsible authorities receive financial support from the federal government to ensure the creation, development and management of the park. The area of ​​a park of national importance is characterized by its high natural and landscape values, in particular by the diversity and rarity of the native animal and plant species and their habitats; the particular beauty and character of the landscape; a low degree of impairment of the habitats of native animal and plant species as well as the landscape and townscape through buildings, facilities and uses.

The area of ​​regional nature parks and of surrounding zones in national parks is also characterized by the uniqueness and special quality of the cultural landscape as well as by culturally and historically significant sites and monuments.

Legal basis and organization

The creation of parks of national importance is based on Section 3b of the Federal Law on Nature Conservation and Heritage Protection, which came into force in 1967 and revised in 2008, as well as on the 2007 Ordinance on Parks of National Importance (PäV).

In May 2007, 19 associations that support projects to create parks founded the Swiss Parks Network , which, as an umbrella organization, looks after the interests of its members and has signed a performance agreement with the FOEN. In return for financial support from the federal government, the network performs various tasks, including organizing the exchange of experience, representing the parks and public relations.

Park label

The parks can be given the label «Park of National Importance», which serves to publicize the park. The park label is awarded when the respective requirements for the park are met. The application for the award of the park label must contain the charter on the operation and quality assurance of the park, the statutes of the park authority and proof of the spatial security of the park. The request for renewal of the park label also contains a report on the services that have been provided to meet the park's requirements. The park authority submits the application to the canton . In the case of cross-cantonal projects, it is sufficient for all affected cantons. The cantons examine the application documents and the requirements for the award. The cantons coordinate this with one another. The lead canton forwards the application together with its applications to the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN).

The Federal Office for the Environment awards the park label to the park authority for a period of ten years.

Categories

National park

In a national park, the focus is on the free development of nature and the protection of valuable habitats. The area of ​​the «core zone» of a national park is at least 100 km² in the foothills of the Alps and the Alps ; 75 km² in the Jura and on the southern flank of the Alps and 50 km² in the Swiss Plateau . Under certain conditions, this can consist of non-contiguous partial areas. At least 25 km² of the core zone is below the tree line. The 'surrounding zone' encompasses the core zone as completely as possible. It has an area which is in reasonable proportion to the area of ​​the core zone.

For the free development of nature are excluded in the core zone:

• entering outside the specified paths and routes and taking animals with you,
• driving with vehicles of any kind,
• taking off and landing with all types of aircraft including hang-gliders such as deltas and paragliders,
• the creation of buildings and systems as well as the implementation of soil changes,
• agricultural and forestry use with the exception of traditional pasture uses on clearly delimited areas,
• the practice of fishing and hunting with the exception of the regulation of stocks of hunted species in order to prevent considerable damage to game,
• collecting rocks, minerals, fossils, plants and fungi and catching animals.

In order to preserve and manage the cultural landscape close to nature and to protect it from adverse encroachments, the following are in the surrounding area:

• to maintain and promote the ecological functions of the agricultural areas, forests and bodies of water,
• to shape the tourist and recreational use ecologically,
• to preserve the landscape and townscape and to enhance it as much as possible,
• to upgrade and network habitats of native animal and plant species that are worth protecting,
• to preserve and strengthen the character of the landscape and townscape in new buildings, facilities and uses,
• to reduce or remedy existing impairments of the landscape and townscape caused by buildings, facilities and uses when the opportunity arises.

Regional nature park

In a regional nature park, sustainable regional development is promoted with the greatest possible consideration for sensitive natural areas and landscapes. The regional nature park comprises extensive nature reserves with clear rules of conduct for visitors. The area of ​​a regional nature park is at least 100 km² and usually includes entire municipal areas.

In order to maintain and enhance the quality of nature and landscape, the following are in the Regional Nature Park:

• to maintain the diversity of the native animal and plant species, the habitat types as well as the landscape and townscape and improve it as far as possible,
• to upgrade and network habitats of native animal and plant species that are worth protecting,
• to preserve and strengthen the character of the landscape and townscape in new buildings, facilities and uses,
• to reduce or remedy existing impairments of the landscape and townscape caused by buildings, facilities and uses when the opportunity arises.

In order to strengthen the sustainably operated economy, the following are particularly important in the Regional Nature Park:

• to use local natural resources in an environmentally friendly way;
• to strengthen regional processing and marketing of products produced in the park;
• to promote nature-oriented tourism and environmental education services;
• to support the use of environmentally friendly technologies.

Nature adventure park

A nature adventure park is a natural recreation area near the core of an agglomeration . In the “core zone”, the focus is on free natural development, in the “transition zone” the focus is on local recreation and environmental education. The area of ​​the "core zone" of a nature adventure park is at least 4 km². The “transition zone” encompasses the core zone as completely as possible. It has an area which is in reasonable proportion to the area of ​​the core zone. A nature adventure park is located within a radius of no more than 20 kilometers from the core of an agglomeration and at a similar topographical altitude. It is easily accessible by public transport.

For the free development of nature are excluded in the "core zone":

• entering outside the specified paths and taking animals with you, with the exception of dogs, which are kept on a leash;
• Driving with vehicles of any kind, with the exception of vehicles without a motor, on routes that are signposted in accordance with Article 54a of the Signaling Ordinance of 5 September 1979;
• the creation of buildings and systems as well as the implementation of soil changes;
• agricultural and forestry use;
• the practice of fishing and hunting with the exception of the regulation of stocks of hunted species in order to prevent considerable damage to game;
• collecting rocks, minerals, fossils, plants and fungi and catching animals.

To enable nature experiences and to guarantee the buffer function in favor of the core zone, the following are in the "transition zone":

• to take suitable measures to educate visitors about the environment
• Agricultural and forestry uses as well as new buildings and facilities that impair the development of untouched habitats for native animal and plant species are excluded
• To upgrade and network the habitats of indigenous animal and plant species that are worth protecting
• to restrict free entry, the collection of rocks, minerals, fossils, plants and mushrooms as well as the capture of animals, insofar as this is necessary for the protection of native animal and plant species.

Directory of parks

There are currently 17 areas recognized as parks of national importance. Three other parks are waiting to be recognized as candidates. The area of ​​all recognized parks and park candidates together amounts to 525,000 hectares, which corresponds to around 13% of the area of ​​Switzerland.

Explanation

• Name: Give the name of the park.
• Canton: Flag and name of the canton in which the park is located.
• Initiative: Name the year in which the park was established
• Category: National Park, Regional Nature Park or Nature Adventure Park
• Recognition: indicates the year in which the park was recognized as a park of national importance
• Area: states the area of ​​the nature park in square kilometers .
• Description: Gives a short, characteristic description of the park and partly of its location.

Recognized parks of national importance

Surname	Canton	initiative	category	recognition	Area [km²]	description
Parc Naziunal Svizzer - Swiss National Park	Grisons	1914	National park	1914 Based on the Federal Act on the Swiss National Park in the Canton of Graubünden (National Park Act)	170.3	The national park extends in the Engadine at an altitude of 1400 m. ü. M to 3174 m. ü. Half of the national park area is free of vegetation due to the altitude, a third is forested, and the remaining area contains alpine mats. It is characterized by high alpine flora and fauna. From 1991 to 2007 the Swiss National Park was the release site of the Bearded Vulture, which became extinct in the Alps in the last century .
UNESCO Biosphere Entlebuch	Lucerne	2001	Regional nature park	2008	394.5	The Entlebuch Biosphere comprises the main valley of the Kleiner Emme . The landscape is characterized by raised and flat moors .
Thal Nature Park	Solothurn	2009	Regional nature park	2009	139.4	The regional nature park Thal is embedded in the mountain ranges of the Solothurn Jura between Weissenstein and Wasserfallen .
Wilderness Park Zurich	Zurich	1986	Nature adventure park	2009	11	The nature adventure park extends south of the agglomeration of Zurich on the eastern flank of the Albis chain . The Sihlwald is part of the largest contiguous mixed deciduous forest in the Swiss Plateau .
UNESCO Biosfera Val Müstair	Grisons	2007	Regional nature park	2010	198.6	The Biosfera is located in the easternmost part of Switzerland between the Swiss National Park and the Parco Nazionale dello Stelvio in Italy. In addition to the Rambach Valley , the Biosfera includes the Lai da Rims, a cirque lake with a rich glacial treasure trove, and the Val Mora landscape protection zone .
Aargau Jura Park	Aargau and Solothurn	2003	Regional nature park	2012	241	The nature park is characterized by a diverse cultural landscape of the Tafel and Chain Jura between the agglomerations of Basel and Zurich .
Regional Chasseral Park	Bern and Neuchâtel	2001	Regional nature park	2012	387	The highest elevation of the nature park is the eponymous Chasseral with 1607 meters. The wooded pastures of the Jura are characteristic of the landscape.
Diemtigtal Nature Park	Bern	2009	Regional nature park	2012	135.4	The Diemtigtal is nestled between the Niesen and Turnenkette. The southern end of the valley is formed by the Seehorn, Spillgerten , Rauflihorn and the highest peak in the valley is the Männliflue at 2652 m. ü. M.
Gantrisch Nature Park	Bern and Freiburg	2008	Regional nature park	2012	388.1	The nature park extends not far from Bern over the Gantrisch range and the Schwarzsee to the Gurnigel -Passhöhe with wide moorland, Guggisberg with the Guggershörnli , the river landscape Sense-Schwarzwasser , the Längenberg and the Gürbetal .
Parc Ela	Grisons	2005	Regional nature park	2012	547.5	The park area includes the Albula valley and the Surses , the Kesch - Ducan area. Significant elevations are the Piz Mitgel and Piz Ela as well as the Lunghin Pass with an important watershed point . The landscape is characterized by large differences in relief.
Parc naturel regional Gruyère Pays-d'Enhaut	Freiburg and Vaud	2005	Regional nature park	2012	502.5	The nature park in the Vaudois and Freiburg Pre-Alps is the cradle of a common culture, with a focus on cattle breeding, cheese production, folklore and herdsmen.
Binntal landscape park	Valais	2008	Regional nature park	2012	181.2	The nature park extends on the south side of the Goms in Valais and includes the municipalities of Binn , Ernen and Grengiols . The Binntal is characterized by a special wealth of minerals and a unique flora .
Beverin Nature Park	Grisons	2009	Regional nature park	2013	372.5	The nature park extends over parts of the Hinterrhein Valley and the Safien Valley with Piz Beverin as the central point. Alpine cultural landscapes, along with high alpine mountains, shape the landscape.
Parc du Doubs	Jura , Neuchâtel and Bern	2009	Regional nature park	2013	293.7	The nature park is located in the north-west of Switzerland. Between Saint-Ursanne and the Doubs the eponymous forms Doubs the border with France.
Parc Jura vaudois	Vaud	1973	Regional nature park	2013	530.6	The nature park stretches from the La Dôle summit to the medieval monastery town of Romainmôtier . In the north lies the Vallée de Joux at an altitude of 1000 m with the Lac de Joux .
Pfyn-Finges Nature Park	Valais	2005	Regional nature park	2013	276.5	The nature park includes the floodplain and the north and south slopes of the Rhone Valley in central Valais at an altitude of 500 to 4100 m above sea level. NN. Characteristic for the nature park is the floodplain landscape of the Rhone and the Illgraben as an imposing torrent. The Pfynwald reserve forms the heart of the park.
Schaffhausen Regional Nature Park	Schaffhausen	2008	Regional nature park	2018	209	The Schaffhausen region with its natural and cultural landscapes is unique. The hills of the Rand, the wide vineyards and agricultural areas, forests, the typical villages and the Rhine give the area its diversity. The nature reserve includes the regions Randen, Südranden, Hochrhein, Klettgau and Reiat. Two German communities are also involved. This makes the Schaffhausen Regional Nature Park the first cross-border park in Switzerland.

Recognized park candidates of national importance

Surname	Canton	initiative	category	recognition	surface	description
Parco nazionale del Locarnese	Ticino	2000	National park	2011	223.1
Parc naturel periurbain du Jorat	Vaud	2012	Nature adventure park	2016	22nd

Web links

• Swiss parks website

Individual references and sources

1. ↑ Schöne Heimat: Parklandschaft Schweiz in Coop newspaper from July 5, 2016
2. ↑ Federal law on nature and homeland protection. In: Systematic Collection of Federal Law . admin.ch , 2008, accessed on June 9, 2010 . 
3. ↑ Park Ordinance. In: Systematic Collection of Federal Law. admin.ch, 2007, accessed on June 9, 2010 . 
4. ↑ Goals and visions of the network. Swiss Parks Network, 2018, accessed on February 16, 2018 . 
5. ↑ The Swiss parks. Swiss Parks Network, 2018, accessed on February 16, 2018 .