Protective forest partnership

We love the magnificent nature of the Swiss Alps. Large areas of the alpine mountain landscape are covered by forest - a real feast for the eyes. How soothing is the hike through the coniferous forest, how fragrant are the essential oils exuded by the needles.

It is easy to forget that the forest in the mountains also fulfils an important protective function against a variety of natural hazards. The forest growing on the steep mountain slopes protects houses, roads, railway lines and hiking trails from dangers such as rockfall, debris flows, landslides and avalanches. An example: in the canton of Valais, 87% of the forest is designated as protective forest, which means that almost every tree on the steep flanks of the mountain canton also has a protective effect at the same time.

In 2011, the Swiss insurance company Helvetia started to support protection forest projects in various Swiss cantons by donating 2 x 10,000 trees per year to Swiss cantons. In cooperation with the cantonal forestry services, professionally sound plantations are planned.

This only sometimes involves reforestation after storm damage or forest fires. In most cases, the task is to rejuvenate endangered protection forests through new plantings. In order to adapt protection forests to climate change, it is already important to plant tree species that can cope with higher temperatures and less precipitation. A more diverse mix of species specifically promotes the resilience of the protection forest.

MANU Touristik will become a partner of Helvetia's protection forest commitment by 2023. Specific protection forest projects will be selected in which MANU Touristik can get involved. The idea behind this: MANU Touristik will plant a tree for every trip you book (one tree per room). After your return from your trip, you will receive your personal tree pass by e-mail with details of the planting site and documentation of the specific protection forest project. In addition, MANU Touristik commits to donate an amount of the same value for the maintenance of the protection forest. Because especially in the first ten years after planting, the saplings need a lot of protection, for example against browsing by game.

In this way, MANU Touristik would like to make an important contribution to the protection of the Swiss mountain forest with your support. At the same time, we are keen to appreciate the vital and often little-noted work of the many foresters.

We would like to thank Helvetia Insurance Switzerland for allowing us to participate in this well-established project. We are now looking forward to planting many trees in the Swiss habitat and thus making a small contribution to the safety of residents and guests on Swiss roads, hiking trails and cross-country ski runs.
www.helvetia.ch/schutzwald