FCPF/UN-REDD Meetings in Montreux 

Brief on the excursion organized by the Swiss Government (Intercooperation/SECO/Forest Service Canton de Vaud) 

SWITZERLAND AS AN ANNEX I COUNTRY: SWISS FORESTS, CARBON AND CLIMATE CHANGE 

Thursday, 18 June 2009; 1 PM – 7 PM (lunch box and diner provided) 

The excursion will be in the immediate vicinity of Montreux (Les Hauts de Coux). Participants will use a rack-railway that will bring them from Montreux to 1400 m above sea level (20-25 minutes). Some easy walk will be done in forested areas and on small roads. We will close our walk in an alpine restaurant offering a splendid view on the Lac Geneva and Mont Blanc Alps. The rack-train will bring the participants back to Montreux around 7 PM. Participants in the excursion will visit a protection/production forest area owned by small forest holders. Three different aspects of forest management and forest-based mitigation and adaptation will be introduced and discussed: 

Site 1 (in a forest lot): The district forest officer in charge will give an overview on (natural) forest management (objectives, on management systems and the production of forest goods and services); 

Site 2 (spot with view on mountain forests): A representative of the federal forest service will explain how carbon is counted in respect to the emission reduction goals of the country and how carbon is measured in the forests for such an aim; and finally 

Site 3 (terrace of the restaurant): An experienced forest practitioner and civil society representative will expose us on how forest owners are involved/not involved in such “carbon deal” and illustrate the vulnerability of Swiss mountain forests to the effects of global warming.