Renaud Baumgartner, a member of the RC Biel/Bienne, is a forestry engineer EPFZ/SIA and has spent his entire professional career in the Bernese forestry service: forestry assistant at the Bernese Jura Forestry Conservation in Tavannes, forestry inspector in Courtelary, then head of the Bernese Jura Forestry Division in Tavannes. Now retired, he shares his experience with us.
Mr Baumgartner, would you say that there are several phases of evolution, each with its own specific challenge, such as the bostrychium, for example?
I think that the challenges encountered are geographical and societal in origin. A lowland forest is subject to significant pressure from the public. A mountain forest has primarily protective functions, and wooded pastures are dedicated to mixed silvicultural and agricultural management. The management is oriented to these priorities, often with conflicts of interest. The bark beetle has always been endemic in our forests and attacks naturally weakened trees. When there are natural events such as droughts or hurricanes, which loosen many trees without causing them to fall, the trees can no longer defend themselves against the bark beetles. The bark beetles swarm and cause a lot of secondary damage.
When you see forests burning all over the world, and in Europe in particular, how does that make you feel?
Forest fires are the result of the societal conflict between man and forest. When people burn forests to obtain arable land, to feed themselves, it is still quite understandable. When it's to plant oil palms, it's much less understandable. But when you build villas or campsites in the forest, it's obvious that sooner or later it will burn. If we want to preserve the forest, let's set priorities accordingly.
With his reforestation programme, President Macron, for example, is only fighting the symptoms.
Is the Swiss forest prepared for climate change?
For the past 15 years, the forestry services have been training their field staff to take account of the new climatic challenges in their work, especially when pruning: favouring thermophilic species, even to the detriment of economically more interesting species.
Various species seem to be doomed to disappear. Which trees will we be walking under in 25 years?
Some species, such as beech and spruce, will disappear from the plains and will be found at higher altitudes. Change happens slowly. The life of a tree is more like 100 to 150 years! In the lowlands, the coniferous trees will remain, while the deciduous trees will include many more oaks, lindens, cherry trees and maples. Then, as a corollary, the upper limit of the forest gradually rises.
What is your personal feeling about the forest?
A feeling of security in the face of majestic trees capable of withstanding storms, a fascination with its capacity to regenerate naturally. It provides me with wood and protection. I expect the public to have respect for the owner of the forest and for the forest itself. Stay on the paths, don't trample on the rejuvenation, only light fires when allowed and in the fireplaces provided, take your rubbish home. The forest is essential for the livability of Switzerland!
Denise Lachat
