Swiss Inventory of Landscapes and Natural Monuments

Swiss Inventory of Landscapes and Natural Monuments
Name	Swiss Inventory of Landscapes and Natural Monuments
Native name	Inventaire fédéral des paysages, sites et monuments naturels
Established	1977
Location	Switzerland
Governing body	Federal Office for the Environment

Swiss Inventory of Landscapes and Natural Monuments is a federal list that identifies and protects outstanding Alpine and lowland Valais landscapes, geological features and natural monuments across Switzerland; it was developed to coordinate conservation across cantonal and municipal levels while integrating international frameworks such as the Ramsar and the CBD. The inventory complements other Swiss designations like the Federal Inventory of Raised and Transitional Bogs and the BLN by mapping sites of national and regional importance and aligning with standards used by bodies such as the IUCN and the Council of Europe.

History

The inventory’s origins trace to environmental debates in the 1960s and 1970s involving actors including the FOEN, the Swiss Federal Council, and cantonal authorities such as the Zurich Cantonal Council and the Geneva Cantonal Council, reflecting pressures from infrastructure projects like the Gotthard Road Tunnel and proposals near the Rhone Valley. Early champions included conservationists associated with organizations like the Swiss Heritage Society and academic voices from the University of Zurich and the ETH Zurich. Formal adoption in 1977 followed consultations with stakeholders such as the Swiss Farmers' Association and the Swiss Touring Club, and subsequent revisions involved coordination with international instruments including the Bern Convention and the UNESCO World Heritage Convention.

Legal framework and administration

The legal basis rests on federal ordinances administered by the DETEC and implemented by the FOEN in collaboration with cantonal authorities such as Bern Cantonal Administration and municipal bodies like the City of Zurich council. Implementation intersects with Swiss instruments including the Nature and Cultural Heritage Act and cantonal planning laws such as the Canton of Vaud Planning Act. International coordination occurs through agencies including the EEA and liaison with the IUCN, while judicial matters have been adjudicated by courts like the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland.

Criteria and classification

Sites are evaluated using criteria influenced by inventories such as the Ramsar list and frameworks from the WCPA, taking into account geomorphological features in regions like the Jura Mountains and Bernese Alps, scenic values near the Lake Geneva and Lake Lucerne, and natural monuments such as erratic boulders and waterfalls including those in Rheinfall. Classification distinguishes national, regional and local importance with reference to biogeographical units like the Alpine bioregion and habitats identified under directives comparable to the Habitats Directive. Experts from institutions such as the WSL and the Swiss Geological Survey apply criteria addressing rarity, representativeness and integrity, drawing on inventories like the BLN and methodologies from the Council of Europe Landscape Convention.

Notable sites

Examples include Alpine and lowland sites across cantons: the Aletsch Glacier region in Valais adjacent to Jungfrau-Aletsch World Heritage Site, the limestone karst of the Creux du Van near Neuchâtel, the wetlands of Camargue-type marshes at La Grande Cariçaie on Lake Neuchâtel, the Rheinfall in Schaffhausen, the Greina Plain plateau between Graubünden and Ticino, the Lavaux Vineyard Terraces viewshed on Lake Geneva (near Vevey and Lausanne), and the calcareous cliffs of the Chasseral in the Jura Mountains. Other inventory entries overlap or abut sites like the Swiss National Park in Graubünden, Säntis massif views, the Engadine valley landscapes, glacial landforms in the Bernese Oberland, and river corridors linked to the Aare River and Rhône River systems.

Conservation and management

Management responsibility is shared among federal entities like the FOEN, cantonal authorities such as the Valais Government, municipal administrations including City of Bern and local stakeholders such as the Swiss Farmers' Association and non-governmental organizations like the Pro Natura and the Swiss Ornithological Institute. Conservation measures integrate habitat restoration guided by research from the University of Lausanne and the University of Bern, species monitoring coordinated with the Swiss Biodiversity Monitoring Program, and land-use planning instruments linked to the Swiss Spatial Planning Act. Financing derives from cantonal budgets, federal grants administered through DETEC, and partnerships with bodies such as the Swiss Bankers Association on development offsets; disputes have been resolved via negotiation and legal review by the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland.

Public access and education

Public engagement involves interpretive trails near sites like Aletsch Glacier and educational partnerships with universities including the University of Geneva and museums such as the Swiss National Museum. Outreach is supported by associations like the Swiss Alpine Club and media outlets including the Neue Zürcher Zeitung and SRF (Swiss Radio and Television), while visitor management coordinates with transport hubs such as the Swiss Federal Railways and regional tourist offices in Interlaken, Zermatt, and Lucerne. Environmental education programs link to curricula at institutions like the University of Teacher Education Zurich and citizen science initiatives promoted by groups such as Pro Natura and the Swiss Biodiversity Forum to foster stewardship.

Category:Protected areas of Switzerland