The Swiss public shares the desire of environmental and biodiversity experts to see more natural and wild areas in their country, according to a survey by a wildlife conservation organisation Pro Natura.
“Wilderness” as such is seen as something positive by the broad population and professionals from conservation, tourism, hunting and forestry fields, the environmental group said on Thursday.
Among the general public, 95% consider a large diversity of species as important, while just under 90% say pristine nature is important.
The survey – part of a three-year campaign – is based on the responses of around 1,200 members of the public and 1,100 experts, with the results published in the context of this Saturday’s “World Wilderness Day”.
The majority understands wilderness as large areas with wild animals and fallen trees, untouched by human influence. As Pro Natura writes, such landscapes hardly exist anymore in Switzerland and Central Europe. Switzerland, for example, lost 90 percent of its moors in the last 200 years.
However, wilderness can return to previously intensively used landscapes, it says. Acceptance for ‘re-naturing’ of forests, water bodies, boglands and mountain areas has increased in recent years, as a comparison with a 2002 survey shows.
The positive assessment of wilderness is accompanied by the demand for more natural areas in general – a concern particularly widespread among the professionals surveyed.
Popular Stories
More
Swiss Politics
In Switzerland, New Year brings ‘burqa ban’ and pension hikes
Have you heard something about Swiss diplomacy that you’d like us to fact check?
Not all information circulating about Switzerland’s foreign relations is accurate or well understood. Tell us what you'd like us to fact check or clarify.
Swiss scientists discover unusual zones in Earth’s mantle
This content was published on
Using high-resolution models to study the Earth's mantle, scientists have identified zones of rocks in the lower mantle that are colder, or have a different composition, than surrounding rocks.
Egyptian diplomat’s murder: prosecutor calls for acquittal of defendant’s girlfriend
This content was published on
The Swiss attorney general has called for the girlfriend of the main defendant in the case of the assassination of an Egyptian diplomat in Geneva in 1995 to be acquitted. The woman is charged with complicity.
Low-cost e-tailers Temu and Shein put Swiss retail sector under pressure
This content was published on
Most Swiss retailers are concerned by the stiff competition from China's low-cost online platforms Temu and Shein, according to a survey.
This content was published on
More and more offices are standing empty in Switzerland's major cities. Nevertheless, new office constructions are likely to increase in the future, a study shows.
Zoos should consider culling surplus animals to regulate populations, say researchers
This content was published on
Researchers from the University of Zurich say zoos must rethink population management and allow animals to reproduce naturally - zoos should then cull surplus animals.
Swiss billionaire Martin Haefner creates foundation
This content was published on
Martin Haefner, owner of the car importer Amag and one of Switzerland's richest citizens, has set up a foundation with his wife Marianne.
Swiss army cuts uniform distribution to save millions
This content was published on
Members of the Swiss Armed Forces will only receive a distinctive grey dress uniform, the famous "Tenü A", for representational purposes in the future as a cost-cutting measure to save CHF55 million.
Swiss, Danish tourists among three dead in Australian plane crash
This content was published on
A light aircraft crashed during take-off from a tourist island in Western Australia, killing three people including Swiss and Danish tourists and injuring three others, authorities said on Wednesday.
Presidents of Ukraine and Switzerland discuss future meeting
This content was published on
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his Swiss counterpart, Karin Keller-Sutter, have held talks by phone to prepare a future bilateral meeting, it was announced on Wednesday.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Swiss National Park joins exclusive list of protected areas
This content was published on
Switzerland’s only national park has been included on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)’s ‘green list’ of best governed protected areas in the world.
New ‘green status’ launched to help endangered species
This content was published on
Species play an essential role in a balanced ecosystem. A new classification tool aims to give a fuller picture of threats to plant and animals.
This content was published on
The first national park anywhere in the Alps was founded in 1914 by conservationists concerned about increasing industrialisation in mountain regions. They set up a Swiss branch of the Society for the Protection of Nature and won approval from parliament to set aside an area in southeastern Switzerland. Similar reserves had already been established in…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.