How the data is used

The scientific results and political interpretation of the NFI are continuously made available in books or other publications. The public is generally informed through the media und press releases (in German).

The NFI data should be used as widely as possible. Therefore, the NFI team can offer you its services in the form of its rich data pool and its many years of experience. To date, the Principality of Liechtenstein and the cantons of ZH, AR, GR, BE conducted regional inventories using the NFI method.

An assessment of the effectiveness of NFI1 and NFI2 analyzed the use of their data up until now, a needs analysis for a third NFI looked into potential new fields of application.

Examples of use

Principally the NFI database can be asked to answer your very own questions. To date, more than 250 larger special analyses have been carried out on request. Examples are given below:

• detailed potentials of timber use in the individual cantons (Bundesamt für Konjunkturfragen)
• assessment of alpine forests to as avalanche protection forests (SLF/WSL Davos)
• establishing a basis for rating forest susidies (Eidg. Forstdirektion)
• distribution and frequency of single tree species (Forstschutz WSL)
• structure and distribution of coppice forests and selection-type high forests (ETH Zürich)
• use of large timber harvesting machines (forestry entrepreneurs)
• a basis for planning and public relations (cantonal forestry offices)
• frequency distribution of old growth and dead wood (conservation)
• data on forests for international projects and statistics (ECE/FAO)

The most important clientele for data analyses come from research and education (48%), cantonal forestry services (28%), federal administration (14%) as well as national and international organisations (5%).