Sihlwald protection ordinance
Sihlwald Nature Discovery Park
Park of National Significance
The Sihlwald is a nature reserve of national significance. On 1 January 2010, the Federal Office for the Environment awarded the forest the national designation “Nature Discovery Park – Park of National Significance” for a period of ten years. On 28 May 2019 the designation was extended for a further ten years until 31 December 2029.
Ranger service
The Sihlwald is regularly patrolled by rangers, who perform a multitude of tasks. They have a precise knowledge of the core and surrounding zones and are able to inform hikers and walkers what they may do and where, thus ensuring that the conservation processes and regulations are observed in the Sihlwald and playing their part in ensuring that the Sihlwald can develop into a natural forest without human interference and at its own pace.
Forest experts
Their daily work gives the rangers an awareness of the changes that the forest is undergoing, which means that they can pass on to visitors particular insights about nature left to its own devices. Their role is not to police the forest but rather to use their knowledge to convey information about the special features and particular attractions of the Sihlwald.
More about the Sihlwald Nature Discovery Park
What is a Nature Discovery Park?
National park close to the city
To date, the Wildnispark Zurich Sihlwald was the first nature discovery park in Switzerland. It is situated in the heart of the Zurich metropolitan region and is easily accessible by some two…
Natural forest
Original beech forest
The Sihlwald natural forest is made up of around 1,100 hectares of beech forest, which originally covered some 80 per cent of Central Europe. It represents a rare example of a large, original…
History of the Sihlwald
Fraumünster – the Habsburgs – city of Zurich
The Sihlwald has an eventful history: from a commercial forest owned by the Habsburgs, the church and then the city of Zurich to the present day and its restoration to natural forest.
