Faido, Ticino
The Faido project is implementing measures to establish and maintain stable, resilient protective forests in the Leventina. The forests on the steep, hard-to-reach slopes above the valley floor play a vital protective role for transportation infrastructure and villages.
Forest and cultural landscape
The merged municipality of Faido comprises twelve villages located in the central Leventina, both in the valley and on the mountain slopes. One of these is Anzonico. There, a steep mountain forest extends up to 2,000 meters above sea level, serving as an important protective barrier for the infrastructure below. Above the tree line, avalanche barriers dominate the landscape. They stretch up the Fianett slope to Pizzo Erra. The Leventina is home to Switzerland’s most important north-south axis: the A2, the heavily trafficked highway, and the old railway line connecting the north and south through the Gotthard Tunnel. The dense forest above Anzonico protects the highway, railway line, high-voltage power lines, and homes from rockfalls, avalanches, landslides, debris flows, and swelling torrents. It is central to life in the valley and on the inhabited slopes.
Idea and goals
In the Faido project, the Mountain Forest Project works in the forests owned by Swiss Federal Railways (SBB). Because of the importance of these forests in protecting the rail network from natural hazards such as rockfalls, avalanches, and landslides, SBB owns its own forests. These protective forests are particularly important in the area of the Gotthard Rail Tunnel. The Mountain Forest Project supports SBB, the forest owner, in establishing and maintaining stable protective forests designed to shield key transportation routes from natural hazards.
Project partnerships: The Faido project is being carried out in collaboration with the relevant SBB experts.
What you can expect
The work will be flexibly adapted to current needs as well as weather and terrain conditions and may vary. The focus of the work in the Faido project is on building trails and thinning out the chestnut-dominated deciduous forests to promote biodiversity and combat invasive plant species. All work is carried out under the guidance of experienced project and group leaders.
We kick off on Sunday with an introduction to the Mountain Forest Project and the week’s schedule. Days start early: breakfast is at 6:30 a.m., followed by work. A highlight is the weekly forestry excursion in the surrounding area. In addition to forestry work, volunteers also take on simple household tasks at the accommodation, such as tidying up or doing the dishes.
Check out more photos from the project!
Organisatorisches
Pianotondo Forest Lodge at approximately 1,000 meters above sea level
- Dormitory
- Toilet / no shower
- Running cold water
- Limited electricity
- Camping allowed
Breakfast and dinner at the accommodation, lunch in the forest
- Whole-food
- regional
- seasonal
- organic
- Low meat content (vegetarian alternative available)
- Sturdy, high-top hiking boots (above the ankle) with a treaded sole (two pairs recommended)
- Work clothes, work gloves
- Rain jacket, rain pants (gaiters recommended)
- Warm clothing (we’ll be in the mountains)
- Slippers
- Headlamp or flashlight
- Sun protection (sunscreen, sunglasses, hat)
- Daypack, pocket knife, water bottle (thermos recommended)
- Hand towel/shower towel
- Personal items
- Sleeping bag, fitted sheet, pillow if desired
- Luggage: Traveling with a backpack is recommended
- Good physical condition and sure-footedness. The work may take place on steep terrain.
- Please arrive at the meeting point on time. Late arrival or early departure is not permitted.
- Participants must follow the instructions of the project staff.
- Insurance is the responsibility of the participants.
- Photos will be taken during the project week and may be published in our publications. Please contact the project leadership if you do not consent to this.
For environmental reasons, please use public transportation or carpool to get here—parking is not available.
Meeting point: (Only with confirmed registration!)
Sunday, 4:56 p.m., PostBus stop “Anzonico, Paese”
From the meeting point, we’ll travel to the accommodation in Bergwaldprojekt vehicles.
Departure: Saturday, 11:00 a.m. from the meeting point.
Registration is binding. If you are unable to attend, please cancel your registration immediately by calling +41 (0)81 650 40 40 or emailing info@bergwaldprojekt.ch. We will be available on
the day of arrival in case of emergencies. The relevant phone number will be posted in the project information section of your profile shortly before the project begins.