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Altitude above sea level in classes of 400 m. Reference: Digital height model DHM 25 from Swisstopo

Altitudinal vegetation belts in the system used in the guidelines for monitoring the sustainability and performance of protection forests (NaiS; Frehner et al. 2005) – in ten classes, whereby the classes «hyperinsubric», «colline» and «colline with beech» and «lower and upper montane» only occur in the Southern Alps (S), the classes «submontane», «lower montane», «upper montane» only in the Northern Alps (N) and the classes «high montane», «subalpine» and «upper subalpine» on both sides of the Alps. The information is based on the altitudinal vegetation belts determined by experts (accessible forest sample plots of NFI4 on the 1.4-km network; Arge Frehner et al. 2020), as well as on the altitudinal vegetation belts modelled for the period 1981-2010 (other sample plots; Zischg et al. 2021).

Altitudinal vegetation belts in the system used in the guidelines for monitoring the sustainability and performance of protection forests (NaiS; Frehner et al. 2005), reduced to six classes. The variable represents a simplification of the NaiS altitudinal vegetation belts with ten classes (NAISHSTKOMB) in which the classes «hyperinsubric» and «colline» are merged with «colline with beech» to form the class «hyperinsubric and colline» and the class «lower montane» with «upper montane» and «lower/upper montane» to form the class «lower and upper montane». The information is based on the altitudinal vegetation belts determined by experts (accessible forest sample plots of NFI4 on the 1.4-km network; Arge Frehner et al. 2020), as well as on the altitudinal vegetation belts modelled for the period 1981-2010 (other sample plots; Zischg et al. 2021).

Type of trees and shrubs ≥12 cm in diameter at breast height (dbh) in two classes (conifers or broadleaves). Reference: Field Survey (MID 50: Baumart)

Stage of stand development, defined by the dominant diameter at breast height (dbhdom = dbh of the 100 largest [thickest] trees per hectare). Young growth/thicket: dbhdom <12 cm, pole timber: dbhdom 12-30 cm, young timber: dbhdom 31-40 cm, medium timber : dbhdom 41-50 cm, old timber: dbhdom >50 cm, mixed: trees of different development stages, no development stage predominant or groups of different development stages covering < 500 m². Reference: Field Survey (MID 261: Entwicklungsstufe)

Classification of forests into 12 classes («types») according to their development, structure and management. Unlike in the 17-class forest-type classification, in this 12-class classification all development stages (from young growth to timber) are subsumed in the class «uniform high forest». Reference: Field Survey (MID 255: Nutzungskategorie, MID 257: Waldtyp nach Aufnahmeanleitung LFI, MID 260: Waldform, MID 267: Bestandesstruktur, MID 261: Entwicklungsstufe)

Areas in higher and lower altitude zones classified according to the system used for altitudinal vegetation belts in the guidelines for monitoring the sustainability and performance of protection forests (NaiS; Frehner et al. 2005). The boundary between the higher and lower altitudes runs between the «upper montane» and «lower montane» levels on the Northern Alps and between the «high montane» and «upper/lower montane» levels to the Southern Alps. The information is based on the altitudinal vegetation belts determined by experts (accessible forest sample plots of NFI4 on the 1.4-km network; Arge Frehner et al. 2020), as well as on the altitudinal vegetation belts modelled for the period 1981-2010 (other sample plots; Zischg et al. 2021).

Type of trees and shrubs ≥12 cm in diameter at breast height (dbh) with the ten most common species or species groups in Switzerland ('main tree species') categorised, and the classes 'other conifers' and 'other broadleaves' for the remaining species. The main tree species are: spruce (Picea spp.), fir (Abies spp.), pine (Pinus sylvestris, P. nigra, P. strobus, P. mugo subsp. uncinata), larch (Larix spp.), Arolla pine (Pinus cembra), beech (Fagus sylvatica), maple (Acer spp.), ash (Fraxinus spp.), oak (Quercus spp.) and chestnut (Castanea sativa). Reference: Field Survey (MID 50: Baumart)

Forest ownership, classified according to the two categories: 'public' and 'private'. Reference: Forest Service Survey (MID 365: Eigentum)

Forest ownership at the time of NFI5, classified into the two classes: «public» and «private». The attribute is used in analyses of change to ensure that changes in ownership do not influence the results. Reference: Forest Service Survey (MID 365: Eigentum)

Area in/outside a forest that provides protection against avalanches which the cantons designated «protection forest» according to the harmonised criteria of SilvaProtect-CH in 2022. Reference: GIS data from FOEN, 2024

Area in/outside a forest that provides protection against channel processes which the cantons designated «protection forest» according to the harmonised criteria of SilvaProtect-CH in 2022. Reference: GIS data from FOEN, 2022

Area in/outside a forest that provides protection against hillslope debris flows/landslides which the cantons designated «protection forest» according to the harmonised criteria of SilvaProtect-CH in 2022. Reference: GIS data from FOEN, 2023

Area in/outside a forest that provides protection against rockfall processes which the cantons designated «protection forest» according to the harmonised criteria of SilvaProtect-CH in 2022. Reference: GIS data from FOEN, 2025

Area inside/outside the protection forest that the cantons had designated in 2022 according to the harmonised criteria of SilvaProtect-CH (Losey & Wehrli 2013). In 2022, Canton Aargau had not yet designated its protection forest. Reference: GIS data from FOEN, 2022

Main reason for sanitary/salvage felling. Reference: Forest Service Survey (MID 345: Ursache der Zwangsnutzung)

Production capacity of the site in kilograms per hectare and year based on the total mean increment (TMI) according to Keller (1978) - in four classes. Low: TMI ≤1500 kg/(ha/year), moderate: TMI 1501-3000 kg/(ha/year), good: TMI 3001-4500 kg/(ha/year), very good: TMI >4500 kg/(ha/year).

Type of trees and shrubs ≥12 cm in diameter at breast height (dbh). The three most common species or species groups in Switzerland (spruce - Picea spp.; fir - Abies spp.; beech - Fagus sylvatica) are in individual classes, while the remaining species are classified as «other conifers» or «other broadleaves». Reference: Field Survey (MID 50: Baumart)

Type of trees and shrubs ≥12 cm in diameter at breast height (dbh) – in 56 classes. The species (or species groups) not explicitly listed are subsumed in the classes «other conifers», «other broadleaved trees» and «other shrubs». Reference: Field Survey (MID 50: Baumart)

Indication of how the stand was treated during the last intervention. Reference: Forest Service Survey (MID 610: Kalenderjahr alle Eingriffe seit Referenzdatum, MID 611: Art alle Eingriffe seit Referenzdatum)

Demarcation of Switzerland into five regions (Jura, Plateau, Pre-Alps, Alps and Southern Alps) with relatively uniform growth and timber production conditions. The production regions were established by the Federal Office of Forestry long before the first National Forest Inventory (NFI1, 1983-1985). With a small exception along Lake Geneva, the boundaries of the production regions still follow the municipal boundaries of the time. Unlike the NFI, the Forestry Statistics of the Federal Statistical Office don't use the production regions as demarcation but rather the forestry zones, whose boundaries are somewhat different.

Demarcation of Switzerland used in NFI for protection forest analyses. The six protection forest regions were derived from the economic regions by combining individual regions according to natural and statistical criteria.

Regional demarcation with the cantons as a unit, with the two half-cantons, Basel-Land and Basel-Stadt, combined into one canton for statistical reasons.

Demarcation of Switzerland into six regions with similar flora and fauna. The six regions correspond to the basic categories in the publication «The Biogeographical Regions of Switzerland», which was published by FOEN in 2022.

Regional demarcation with the forest districts as a unit. This variable was implemented in the year 2024 and is based on a survey with the cantonal forest services in the years 2022/2023.

Forest of which less than two-thirds is covered with shrubs that can be accessed on foot.

Forest that was less than two-thirds covered with shrubs and accessible on foot in both NFI1 (1983-1985) and NFI2 (1993-1995).

Forest that was less than two-thirds covered with shrubs in the five inventories NFI1 (1983-1985), NFI2 (1993-1995), NFI3 (2004-2006), NFI4 (2009-2017) and NFI5 (2018-2026) and was accessible on foot.

Forest that was less than two-thirds covered with shrubs and accessible on foot in both NFI2 (1993-1995) and NFI3 (2004-2006).

Forest that was less than two-thirds covered with shrubs in both NFI4 (2009-2017) and NFI5 (2018-2026) and is accessible on foot.

Accessible forest without shrub forest («a.f.w.s.f.»), i.e. forest that is less than two-thirds covered with shrubs and can be accessed on foot, which is situated in a forest that the cantons designated «protection forest» in 2022 according to the harmonised criteria of SilvaProtect-CH (Losey & Wehrli 2013).

Area designated in the five Inventories NFI1 (1983-1985), NFI2 (1993-1995), NFI3 (2004-2006), NFI4 (2009-2017) and NFI5 (2018-2026) as «accessible forest without shrub forest», a.f.w.s.f. i.e. «forest without shrub forest» that can be accessed on foot and is situated in a forest that the cantons designated «protection forest» in 2022 according to the harmonised criteria of SilvaProtect-CH (Losey & Wehrli 2013).

Area designated in both NFI4 (2009-2017) and NFI5 (2018-2026) as «accessible forest without shrub forest», a.f.w.s.f. i.e. «forest without shrub forest» that can be accessed on foot and is situated in a forest that the cantons designated «protection forest» in 2022 according to the harmonised criteria of SilvaProtect-CH (Losey & Wehrli 2013).