Nature Parks

Unesco biosphere in the Entlebuch, canton Lucerne Moor near Sörenberg. (swiss-image/Roland Gerth)

Regional nature park in the Diemtigtal, canton Bern The Diemtigtal, with the Spillgerten and Seehorn peaks. (imagepoint/Siegfried Eigstler) imagepoint

Jura park, canton Aargau Cherry trees near Frick (RDB) RDB

Jura park in canton Vaud The Lac de Joux (Keystone/Marcel Gillieron) Keystone

The Chasseral park (cantons Bern and Neuchâtel) Evening setting on the Chasseral. (swiss-image/Christoph Schürpf) swiss-image

TheThunersee-Hohgant nature park, canton Bern The view from the Niederhorn near Beatenberg above Thun Lake.(Keystone/Alessandro Della Bella) Keystone

The Swiss National Park, canton Graubünden Between Grimmels und Il Fuorn. (Keystone/Gaetan Bally) Keystone

The Pfyn-Finges nature park, canton Valais The Pfynwald, the largest pine forest in Switzerland. (Keystone/Andrée-Noelle Pot) Keystone

Ela park, canton Graubünden Lake landscape at the Ela Pass with a view on the Piz d'Err. (Keystone/Arno Balzarini) Keystone

The Gantrisch regional nature park, cantons Bern and Fribourg A walk on snow shoes in the Gantrisch region. (imagepoint/Raphael Forster) imagepoint

The Binntal park, canton Valais Field of tulips near Grengiols. (landschaftspark-binntal.ch)

The nature park of the Doubs Canoeing on the River Doubs (swiss-image/Crhistof Sonderegger) swiss-image

The Sihlwald nature park, canton Zurich Dead wood in the Sihlwald. (stadt-zürich.ch)

The Val Müstair biosphere, canton Graubünden In the Münstertal. (biosfera.ch)

The Beverin nature park, canton Graubünden A view of the shady north side of the Piz Beverin with the Tödi on the right in the background. (Keystone/Arno Balzarini) Keystone

The Thal nature park, canton Solothurn The Thal region in the Jura mountains of canton Solothurn. (naturparkthal.ch)

The Gruyère-Pays d'Enhaut park, canton Fribourg A view of the town of Gruyères, with the Moléson peak in the background. (swiss-image) swiss-image

In the future a fifth of the area of Switzerland is expected to be classed as nature parks.

This content was published on September 7, 2009 - 08:45

The Swiss National Park and the Unesco biosphere in the Entlebuch were the country’s first nature parks. In 2010 there will be two more protected nature areas. More park projects have been given the green light or are in preparation.

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Nature park status becomes engine of growth

This content was published on Sep 7, 2009 In the last two years, the total area of the country being set aside as parkland has jumped from 0.4 to 14 per cent (5,750km2). The figure could rise to 20 per cent. The explosive growth is the result of a new law governing the establishment and operation of parks, the Nature and Cultural Heritage…