Drought: How Climate Change Is Affecting Switzerland's Forests

Drought is one of the biggest challenges facing Swiss forests. Climate change is leading to an increase in heat waves and prolonged dry spells.

The consequences are clearly visible: Trees are experiencing water stress, growing more slowly, and becoming more susceptible to pests such as bark beetles, as well as to diseases and wildfires, as is currently the case above Locarno in Ticino.

(Current forest fire risk map from the FOEN)

In mountainous regions, spruce trees are particularly affected by the changing conditions; at lower elevations, it is the beech tree that suffers from “fever". But other tree species are also increasingly affected. Experts have been observing for years that the condition of Swiss forests is deteriorating and that the composition of the forests is changing over the long term. To preserve the forest’s diverse functions—as a habitat, CO₂ sink, source of timber, and recreational area—climate-resilient tree species, near-natural mixed forests, and sustainable forest management are becoming increasingly important.