Attitudes of the Swiss population towards forest restoration

This report presents the results of a public survey on perceptions of forest functions, restoration strategies, impacts of restoration, willingness to support restoration, and preferred support mechanisms in Switzerland. Respondents consistently value forests for their ecological benefits and their contribution to well-being—particularly for providing habitat, protecting against natural hazards, and enhancing quality of life—while provisioning services receive less recognition. Passive restoration strategies such as retaining deadwood and limiting timber harvesting gain more support than active methods such as reforestation. Restoration is perceived as improving aesthetics, biodiversity, and recreational opportunities, while opinions remain divided regarding provisioning services. Overall, the willingness to support restoration is high, especially through tax revenues and political measures, whereas private donations and participation in awareness campaigns are less popular. Differences between gender, age groups, and education levels are minimal, with values and preferences largely aligned. These findings highlight the importance of using broadly supported strategies and institutional mechanisms to strengthen public engagement in forest restoration across Switzerland.