Forests
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HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE OF THE FOREST
Forests and the timber economy have never been strongly valued culturally. In both land use and the regional economy, they gradually gave way to grassland areas and the cheese-making industry.
Nonetheless, forests have long provided the region with a valuable resource in daily life — supplying timber for all kinds of construction, roofing, furniture, tools and transport equipment, religious and folk art objects, heating for buildings and for milk in cheese-making — as well as a tradable commodity through the export of logs and charcoal and the wood industry of Gruyère. For some municipalities, forests were once the main source of budgetary income.
While the peak of forest clearing for grassland production was likely at the end of the 18th century, forests still underwent an intensive exploitation phase up to the late 19th century, driven by the growing export of wood (planks, billets, and logs) to meet the industrialisation needs of the Swiss Plateau. From the late 17th century, the forests above Villeneuve were exploited to supply firewood to the former saltworks of Roche, with timber floated down the Eau Froide stream. To meet the salt industry’s increasing demand, the Bernese authorities built in 1695 a stone sluice dam — the Joux Verte dam. Revolutionary for its time, it was the first buttress-arch dam in Europe and a forerunner of modern alpine dams. Its remains, along with the sluice keeper’s hut (abandoned in 1894), were rescued in extremis in 1981.
Log driving on the Sarine left a lasting mark on the region. After exhausting the forests of the Emmental and the Sense region, the Von Roll steelworks in Solothurn turned to Gruyère and Pays-d’Enhaut. Timber was then harvested from the most remote areas, unsuitable for clearing, where forests had until then remained untouched. Widespread on most alpine rivers, log driving was banned in 1896.
Protected under national legislation since the late 19th century, forests have regained significant areas, thanks to deliberate planting and the abandonment of meadows and pastures of marginal agricultural interest, in a context of major changes in farming and rural depopulation. In the Pays-d’Enhaut district alone, forest cover increased by 800 hectares between 1900 and 1980.
Forest ownership structure varies considerably from one municipality to another. In Château-d’Œx, 76% of the forest is privately owned and only 8% municipal, while in Veytaux the proportions are reversed (79% municipal, 18% private). With the creation of the Petit Hongrin military firing range, the Confederation became an important forest owner in the region (over 1,000 hectares).
Functions of the forest
Across most of the Park’s territory, the primary role of the forest is protection, though timber production remains far from negligible.
In efforts to restore the forest’s protective function, public authorities have carried out various reforestation projects on bare areas in the upper forest zones. Examples include the dry-stone terraced walls built on the steepest slopes of Malatraix in the Tinière valley above Villeneuve, and on slopes overlooking the L’Etivaz valley on the southern side of Les Salaires (works undertaken in 1922, notably in the Bois de la Chapelle protective forest, safeguarded since 1576 by its owners). Following the devastating floods of 1927 in Montreux, major works and reforestations were undertaken between 1928 and 2002 on the western slope of Les Verraux as part of the Baye de Montreux catchment area management plan.
The role of forests in biodiversity is beyond question: they provide refuge for emblematic and endangered species and act as crucial links within a wide ecological network. In the La Pierreuse Nature Reserve, forests above 1,500 m have been left untouched since 1946. The creation of a forest reserve is being considered for this area, as well as for the exceptional Lapé forest (Charmey). In the Fribourg section of the Park, there are four forest reserves: Paradis–Fayère (Bas-Intyamon), La Leyte–Motélon (Charmey), Grand Paine–Auta Chia (Cerniat), and En Biffé (Châtel-sur-Montsalvens). All municipal forests of Montreux (over 1,100 ha) are certified FSC, Q+, and PEFC; the federal forests of the Hongrin (over 1,200 ha) as well as the communal and cantonal forests of Ormont-Dessous, Veytaux, and Villeneuve (over 2,000 ha) are certified FSC and Q+.
Timber production depends on the type of forest, exploitation conditions, the timber market, and the owner’s objectives. At the scale of the Park, it amounts to a considerable volume — nearly 60,000 m³ per year — requiring skilled labour.
Forests also play a social role, providing settings for walking and sports activities. Thanks to the installation of “forest sofas”, they also serve as outdoor classrooms for local schools.
The wood industry
Wood-related businesses are a major employer in the Park’s mountain municipalities. The forestry and timber sector provides skilled, locally based jobs and often offers apprenticeships that are highly sought after by young people in the region.
In the Intyamon valley, as in the wider Gruyère area, some wood companies began diversifying their activities after the Second World War — producing military barracks, building chalets and wooden houses, and fitting out kitchens. In the Pays-d’Enhaut and the Jogne valley, companies have tended to focus on the domestic market, boosted by the construction of increasingly luxurious second homes. Carpenters and joiners specialise in bespoke work, carrying forward the tradition of craftsmanship established by generations of master builders in previous centuries.
The wood industry has also expanded into the firewood sector.
