Forest Ordinance (ForO)
English is not an official language of the Swiss Confederation. This translation is provided for information purposes only and has no legal force.
Art. 1 Definition of forest
(Art. 2 para. 4 ForA) 1 The cantons shall define the parameters according to which a wooded area is defined as forest, within the following ranges: a. area, including an appropriate forest margin: 200–800 m2; b. width, including an appropriate forest margin: 10–12 m; c. age of stands in newly colonised areas: 10–20 years. 2 If the stand fulfils particularly important social or protective functions, it is defined as forest, irrespective of its area, its width or its age.
Art. 2 Wooded pastures
(Art. 2 para. 2 ForA) Wooded pastures are areas consisting of a mosaic of wooded areas and open pastures and which fulfil both livestock husbandry and forestry purposes.
Art. 3 Check dams and foreground
(Art. 2 para. 3 ForA) 1 Check dams are structures that hinder the natural flow of water and create a backwater. 2 The immediate foreground of a check dam is the terrain bordering the installation on the airside. It normally covers a 10-metre-wide strip.