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. 15 Dealing with risks from natural events
1 The cantons shall reduce the risks from natural events to an acceptable level and limit such risks in the long term by compiling and evaluating the required basic data and planning and implementing measures in an integrated manner. In doing so, they shall in particular take account of the consequences of climate change and changes in the use of space. 2 Integrated planning must involve the relevant parties, combine measures in an optimal way and balance interests, in particular those relating to forest management, nature and landscape protection, hydraulic engineering, agriculture and spatial planning.
Art. 15 — Amended by Annex No 4 of the Hydraulic Engineering Ordinance of 25 June 2025, in force since 1 Aug. 2025 (AS 2025 450).
Art. 16 Basic data
1 The FOEN shall compile basic data of national interest on protection against natural events. To this end, it shall: a. conduct surveys on matters relevant to protection against natural events; b. keep an inventory on the measures to which the Confederation contributes funding; c. analyse events; d. prepare reports. 2 The cantons shall compile the basic data on protection against natural events on their cantonal territory. To this end, they shall: a. document and analyse events; b. document and assess protective structures; c. keep a register of events and protective structures; d. record the hazards and risks; e. prepare hazard assessments and risk maps; f. prepare overall plans and, if need be, other higher-level plans. 3 They shall designate the hazard areas. 4 They shall take account of the basic data compiled by the Confederation and its guides on implementation. 5 They shall submit the risk maps and overall plans regularly in accordance with requirements to the FOEN. 6 They shal
Art. 16 — Amended by Annex No 4 of the Hydraulic Engineering Ordinance of 25 June 2025, in force since 1 Aug. 2025 (AS 2025 450).
Art. 17 Spatial planning measures
1 The cantons shall take account of the hazard areas and the risks in their structural and land-use plans and in their other activities with a spatial impact. They shall in particular ensure in hazard areas that: a. risks are limited when zoning, upzoning and rezoning and when granting permission for the construction of buildings and installations; b. unacceptable risks are reduced by rezoning, downzoning and dezoning or by moving buildings and installations at risk to safer locations. 2 They shall designate buffer zones in the structural and land-use plans in which natural events may be allowed to occur in order to protect other areas. In buffer zones, the risk shall be reduced by limiting the form and extent of use.
Art. 17 — Amended by Annex No 4 of the Hydraulic Engineering Ordinance of 25 June 2025, in force since 1 Aug. 2025 (AS 2025 450).
Art. 17a Organisational measures
The cantons shall take organisational measures in order to save human life and to limit damage in the case of an event. To this end, they shall: a. ensure that the operations plans are prepared, practised and familiar to the civilian command staff and emergency services; b. ensure that the civilian command staff and emergency services receive specialist advice on preparing for and dealing with natural events; c. install and operate the warning systems that are required to ensure the safety of residential areas and transport routes in the case of a natural event; d. take the technical measures required to support the emergency services in dealing with natural events.
Art. 17a — Inserted byAnnex No 4 of the Hydraulic Engineering Ordinance of 25 June 2025, in force since 1 Aug. 2025 (AS 2025 450).
Art. 17b Biological and technical measures and buffer zones
1 The cantons shall take biological and technical measures to limit the risk of natural events. These measures shall include: a. designating protective forest and creating forest with special protective functions and related young forest maintenance; b. silvicultural measures; c. structural measures to prevent avalanche damage and the construction of installations for triggering avalanches as a precautionary measure; d. rockfall and rockslide barriers and catchment structures, as well as the removal of material at risk of falling; e. reinforcement of unstable slopes and gullies and related drainage and erosion protection; f. accompanying forest-conservation-related measures in stream channels (stream control works in forests). 2 They shall design new protective structures and installations to be robust. They shall assess existing protective structures and installations with regard to their overload capacity and systemic safety and modify them if necessary. 3 They shall designate buffer
Art. 17b — Inserted byAnnex No 4 of the Hydraulic Engineering Ordinance of 25 June 2025, in force since 1 Aug. 2025 (AS 2025 450).