Zurich Wilderness Park is an asset for the region

84 percent of all respondents consider the establishment of a nature discovery park of national importance in Sihlwald to be "a great benefit", "a benefit" or at least "more of a benefit" for the region. This is one of the main results of a survey conducted by Matthias Näf at the Chair of Sociology at ETH Zurich. The management of the foundation is delighted with the high level of appreciation and acceptance of the Zurich Wilderness Park among the local population. "We are obviously doing a lot of things right," says Managing Director Karin Hindenlang, "even if there are individual people directly affected who do not agree with certain rules."

At the end of 2013, Matthias Näf sent out 8795 questionnaires to the municipalities in the districts of Horgen and Affoltern, including the municipalities where the park is located, as well as the northern municipalities of the canton of Zug, based on a random sample of the population over the age of 18. The response rate was 23 percent, which is considered good for such a special topic. From the responses it can be deduced that people with a great general interest in forests and nature and people with a strong connection to the Sihlwald are well represented in the survey. In contrast, people who rarely or never go into forests and nature in their free time are underrepresented. Overall, Matthias Näf considers the sample to be representative of the topic.

In addition to the general acceptance of the establishment of a nature discovery park with a core zone and nature discovery zone, the decision not to use wood in the Sihlwald - which would allow for natural dynamics over a large area - also enjoys a high level of support. 76 percent of those surveyed think that not using wood is "good" or "rather good", while only 12 percent consider this principle to be a waste of wood.

The mandatory rules of conduct for a park of national importance also received high approval. They were all rated as "good" or "fairly good" by a majority of over 80 percent of respondents. These rules include, for example, cycling only on marked paths (86%), the obligation to keep dogs on a lead (87%) and the prohibition of paths in the core zone (86%). When asked about the most popular type of path, narrow paths and trails came out on top with 61 percent of responses, followed by wide forest roads with gravel surfaces with 28 percent and walking through the forest off the beaten track in the nature experience zone with 11 percent.

Animal facilities in Langenberg receive good marks

In addition to the Sihlwald Nature Discovery Park, the Langenberg Animal Park in Langnau am Albis is part of the Zurich Wilderness Park. When asked about the size of the animal enclosures, 81 percent of all respondents said they thought the size was just right for species-appropriate animal husbandry. The survey participants were somewhat more critical of the practice of having to kill surplus young animals if no comparable place can be found for them in another enclosure. Nevertheless, 62 percent of respondents consider this procedure to be correct.

The survey by Matthias Näf (ETH Zurich) is part of the current three-part research program of the Zurich Wilderness Park. The program also includes an on-site survey of visitors to the Zurich Wilderness Park on park use and the visitor experience (WSL Birmensdorf) and a study of interactions between wild animals living in the wild and visitors to the Sihlwald (ZHAW Wädenswil).

Further information

Zurich Wilderness Park
Karin Hindenlang Clerc
Managing Director, Zurich Wilderness Park Foundation
Tel. 044 722 55 22 (head office)
karin.hindenlang@wildnispark.ch

ETH Zurich
Matthias Näf
Professor of Sociology ETH Zurich
Phone +41 (0)44 632 73 59,
matthias.naef@soz.gess.ethz.ch