Forest ownership in Switzerland – a legal exploration (essay)

In his doctoral thesis on private forests in Switzerland of 1948, forest engineer Alfred Huber had already noted that the «legal and forestry-related concepts of forest ownership» do not always correspond. It is necessary to distinguish between private and public forest owners. Forest law and other legal principles restrict the freedom of ownership and economic freedom guaranteed in the Federal Constitution. «Private forest owners» are not only natural persons, but also legal entities under private law. They are to be contrasted with legal entities under public law. There are major differences between the legal entities with regard to organisational freedom, the purpose of the forest, and the financial allocation of the forest.