A look at the primary economy in Switzerland

Forests cover 30% of Switzerland's territory, with a volume of standing timber of almost 430 million m3. Over 60% of this stock of living trees could be used while covering the operating costs, representing a potential value of CHF 8.8bn in 2014. This economic potential is greatly influenced by the timber market and the valuation is made independently of Swiss legislation governing forest operations. For the first time in Switzerland, the Federal Statistical Office has carried out an economic valuation of the standing timber stock and its fluctuations, incorporating the results of the National Forestry Inventory into the Economic Accounts for Forestry.