Forest Act (ForA)
English is not an official language of the Swiss Confederation. This translation is provided for information purposes only and has no legal force.
Section 1 Deforestation and Declaration as Forest
Art. 4 Definition of deforestation
Deforestation is the permanent or temporary change of use of forest land.
Art. 5 Prohibition on deforestation and derogations
1 Deforestation is prohibited. 2 In exceptional cases a deforestation permit may be granted if the applicant proves that there are important reasons for the deforestation that outweigh the interest of forest conservation and, furthermore, the following conditions are fulfilled: a. the proposed site must be essential to the works for which the deforestation is to be carried out; b. the works must essentially fulfil the spatial planning requirements; c. the deforestation does cause any serious threat to the environment. 3 Important reasons do not include financial interests, such as the potentially profitable use of the land or the low-cost acquisition of land for non-forestry purposes. 3bis If the authorities have to decide whether to grant permission for the construction of installations for the generation of renewable energies and for energy transportation and distribution, when weighing up interests the national interest in constructing such installations is to be considered equal to
Para. 3bis — Inserted by No I of the FA of 18 March 2016, in force since 1 Jan. 2017 (AS 2016 3207; BBl 2014 4909).
Art. 5a Wind energy facilities
1 Wind energy facilities and their access routes in the forest are considered permanently installed if they are in the national interest and provided the access routes are adequate for the construction and operation of the plants. Proof of site permanency must be provided if the wind energy facility is to be erected in one of the following areas: a. at a site listed in an inventory in accordance with Article 5 of the Federal Act of 1 July 1966 on the Protection of Nature and Cultural Heritage (NCHA); b. in a forest reserve in accordance with Article 20 paragraph 4; c. in a federal game reserve in accordance with Article 11 of the Hunting Act of 20 June 1986. 2 In the case of wind energy facilities not located at a site that falls under Article 5 NCHA, interests shall be weighed in application of Article 3 NCHA.
Art. 5a — Inserted by No IV of the FA of 29 Sept. 2023 on a Secure Electricity Supply from Renewable Energy, in force since 1 Jan. 2025 (AS 2024 679; BBl 2021 1666). Para. 1 let. a — SR 451 Para. 1 let. c — SR 922.0
Art. 6 Responsibility
1 Exceptional permits are granted by: a. the federal authorities, if they are competent to decide on the construction or alteration of works, for which deforestation is to be carried out; b. the cantonal authorities, if they decide on the construction or alteration of works, for which deforestation is to be carried out. 2 Before the cantonal authority decides on a derogation, it shall hear the Federal Office for the Environment (Federal Office), if: a. the area to be deforested exceeds 5000m2; if several deforestation applications are made for one and the same project, the total area is decisive; b. the forest to be deforested is located in several cantons.
Art. 6 — Amended by No I 17 of the Federal Act of 18 June 1999 on the Coordination and Simplification of Decision-Making Procedures, in force since 1 Jan. 2000 (AS 1999 3071; BBl 1998 2591). Para. 2 — The designation of the administrative entity was amended according to Art. 16 para. 3 of the Publications Ordinance of 17 Nov. 2004 (AS 2004 4937).
Art. 7 Compensation for deforestation
1 For all deforestation, compensation in kind must be provided in the same region and with species that are predominantly suited to the location. 2 Measures may be implemented for the benefit of nature and landscape conservation instead of compensation in kind: a. in areas with increasing forest area; b. in other areas by way of exception in order to conserve arable land and areas of ecological or landscape value. 3 Compensation for deforestation may be dispensed with in the case of deforestation: a. of areas that have grown in the last 30 years in order to reclaim arable land; b. to guarantee flood protection and to rehabilitate waters; c. for the preservation and improvement of biotopes in accordance with Articles 18a and 18b paragraph 1 of the Federal Act of 1 July 1966 on the Protection of Nature and Cultural Heritage. 4 If arable land that has been reclaimed in accordance with paragraph 3 letter is given a different use within 30 years, the compensation for deforestation must be p
Art. 7 — Amended by No I of the FA of 16 March 2012, in force since 1 July 2013 (AS 2013 1981; BBl 2011 4397, 4425). Para. 3 let. c — SR 451
Art. 8
Repealed by No I of the FA of 16 March 2012, with effect from 1 July 2013 (AS 2013 1981; BBl 2011 4397, 4425).
Art. 9 Compensation
The cantons shall ensure that considerable benefits arising from deforestation permits that are not covered by Article 5 of the Federal Act on Spatial Planning of 22 June 1979 are adequately compensated for.
SR 700
Art. 10 Declaration as forest
1 Any person who can demonstrate a legitimate interest may have the canton declare whether a plot of land is a forest. 2 When enacting and revising land-use plans in accordance with the Federal Act of 22 June 1979 on Spatial Planning declaration as forest must be ordered in locations: a. in which development zones border the forest or will border it in the future; b. outside development zones where the canton wants to prevent an increase in forest. 3 If a request for declaration as forest is made in association with an application for deforestation, responsibility is governed by Article 6. The competent federal authority decides at the request of the competent cantonal authority.
Para. 2 — SR 700 Para. 2 let. b — Amended by No I of the FA of 16 March 2012, in force since 1 July 2013 (AS 2013 1981; BBl 2011 4397, 4425). Para. 3 — Second sentence inserted by No I of the FA of 18 March 2016, in force since 1 Jan. 2017 (AS 2016 3207; BBl 2014 4909).
Section 2 Forest and Spatial Planning
Art. 11 Deforestation and planning permission
1 The deforestation permit does not exempt its holder from the obligation to obtain planning permission as stipulated in the Spatial Planning Act of 22 June 1979. 2 Should a construction project require both a deforestation permit and an exceptional permit to build outside the building zone, the latter may only be granted in agreement with the competent authority as stated in Article 6 of this Act.
Para. 1 — SR 700
Art. 12 Inclusion of forest in land-use plans
The allocation of forest to a zone requires a deforestation permit.
Art. 13 Demarcation of forest and land-use zones
1 Forest boundaries declared as such under Article 10 paragraph 2 shall be entered in the land-use plans. 2 New wooded areas outside these boundaries are not considered forest. 3 Forest boundaries may be reviewed in the forest declaration procedure under Article 10 if the land-use plans are revised and the actual circumstances have changed substantially.
Art. 13 — Amended by No I of the FA of 16 March 2012, in force since 1 July 2013 (AS 2013 1981; BBl 2011 4397, 4425). Para. 1 — Amended by No I of the FA of 16 March 2012, in force since 1 July 2013 (AS 2013 1981; BBl 2011 4397, 4425). Para. 3 — Amended by No I of the FA of 16 March 2012, in force since 1 July 2013 (AS 2013 1981; BBl 2011 4397, 4425).
Section 3 Pedestrian and Vehicular Access to the F
Art. 14 Accessibility
1 The cantons ensure that the forest is accessible to the general public. 2 Where necessary for the conservation of the forest or other public interests, such as the protection of wild flora and fauna, the cantons shall: a. restrict accessibility to certain forest areas; b. subject the staging of major events in the forest to obtaining a permit.
Art. 15 Motorised vehicular traffic
1 Forests and forest roads may only be accessed by motorised vehicular traffic for forestry purposes. The Federal Council regulates the exceptions to be made for military and other public tasks. 2 The cantons may authorise access to forest roads for other purposes if this does not jeopardise forest conservation or other matters of public interest. 3 The cantons provide traffic signals and signs and the necessary controls. If signals, signs and controls are not sufficient, barriers may be installed.
Section 4 Protection against Other Detrimental Eff
Art. 16 Detrimental uses
1 Uses that do not constitute deforestation as defined in Article 4, but which endanger or interfere with the functions or management of the forest are unlawful. Rights of use in such cases shall be revoked, if necessary by compulsory purchase. The cantons shall enact the necessary provisions. 2 The competent authorities may authorise such uses for important reasons subject to certain conditions and requirements.
Para. 2 — Amended by No I of the FA of 18 March 2016, in force since 1 Jan. 2017 (AS 2016 3207; BBl 2014 4909).
Art. 17 Distance from forest edge
1 Buildings and installations are only admissible in the vicinity of the forest if they do not interfere with its conservation, maintenance and use. 2 The cantons shall specify a suitable minimum distance for buildings and installations from the forest edge. They shall take the location and expected stand height into consideration in the specification of this distance. 3 The competent authorities may authorise constructions at less than the minimum distance if important reasons are given and subject to certain conditions and requirements.
Para. 3 — Inserted by No I of the FA of 18 March 2016, in force since 1 Jan. 2017 (AS 2016 3207; BBl 2014 4909).
Art. 18 Environmentally hazardous substances
The use of environmentally hazardous substances in the forest is prohibited. Exemptions from this provision are regulated by the environmental protection legislation.