Die eidgenössische Waldgesetzgebung aus der Sicht der Vollzugsbehörde des Bundes | The Swiss forest legislation from the viewpoint of the federal authority responsible for its implementation

The paper takes stock of the key provisions of the forest legislation. It does not examine individual articles from the legislation in detail. Instead, it explores the legislative provisions from the controversial perspectives of «centralism versus federalism» and «general rule versus detailed regulation». The question of the extent to which the forest legislation represents a visionary step forward or a mere continuation of the old forest police legislation is also raised. By and large, some ten years after its coming into force, the enactment of the forest legislation can be seen as a positive development. From the viewpoint of the implementing authority, a series of circulars and various other supports have facilitated its implementation. They have also helped in the identification of new and innovative solutions, and improved and intensified cooperation between the state and the cantons, the administration,research and practice. However, this does not free us from the obligation to strive for further improvements in the coming years; adaptation to the increasing pace of socio-political development is unavoidable.