Forest Day and an education in the spirit of sustainability
One third of the Swiss territory is forest. In order for the forest to fulfill its many tasks, it must be expertly and, above all, sustainably cared for and managed. Anna Ehrbar, is in her third year of training as a forest warden in the Magdenau forest district (SG).
When Anna Ehrbar talks about her everyday life in the forest and her chosen training profession, you can sense her enthusiasm: "Yes, it was the right decision." She didn't want to work indoors, stuck in an office chair after leaving school. No, she belongs in nature, in the fresh air. Around 300 young people start vocational training as forest wardens in Switzerland every year. In Anna's cohort, twelve women throughout Switzerland began their apprenticeship in 2016. "It's certainly not a typical female profession, and the reactions to my choice varied," she says with a smile.
The forest warden from Magdenau
She attends the vocational school in Herisau with 17 young men. "The boys have long since gotten used to me and the atmosphere is very good." Her body has also adapted to the daily, rigorous work in the forest. As a woman, the 18-year-old is aware, she does not have the same strength as her professional colleagues in certain activities. But she clearly compensates for this with her work technique and considered actions. Above all, she loves woodcutting during her apprenticeship. She is proud of her faithful companion, the 60 cubic centimeter Husquarna 562 chainsaw, with which she has now sawn out many drop notches and made felling cuts. She is already a veteran, and with almost gentle movements she nimbly carries out the work steps.
A versatile professional training
Their actions are mindfully accompanied by their trainer, Oliver Zangerl from Herisau. The 28-year-old forester for the Magdenau district radiates a calmness that suits his workplace. If he wants to point out a correction to Anna in her actions during the timber harvest, he does so via a microphone mounted in the safety helmet by radio. "It's important that learners are instructed and guided well, clearly and without rushing," he is aware. He loves to pass on his knowledge of forestry work to young people. That's why he is also active as an instructor in the woodcutting courses organized throughout Switzerland by Forest Switzerland.
"We have to ensure that there are good young people in the industry, so that in the future, too, action will be taken in the forest in the spirit of sustainability." Sustainable action requires extensive knowledge of the complex relationships between fauna, flora, technology, economy and society. After all, the forest is not only a supplier of wood. It is a habitat for a wide variety of animal and plant species, a large drinking water reserve, stores carbon, and is a very popular recreational area for people, some of whom walk a lot. Managing the multifunctional forest and caring for it prudently for future generations requires experts with extensive knowledge. This is also true in view of the future challenges posed by climate change. Higher temperatures and more frequent droughts will change the composition of tree communities, as will the growing problem of harmful organisms introduced with the global movement of goods.
High churn rate
Among other things, the federal office for training and continuing education in forestry called "Codoc" also takes care of the training of forestry technicians. It is an information hub, teaching material center and information point for forestry training issues. Rolf Dürig, co-director of the specialist unit, is well aware of the complex challenges in the forestry sector: "The forest must be managed in a well-versed manner so that its stability and protective function can be guaranteed. This is a difficult task, also in view of the existing economic pressure on the timber and forestry industry." According to Rolf Dürig, vocational training as a forest warden is popular in Switzerland. There are hardly any problems filling the apprenticeship positions, he explains. Rather, he says, it is an issue of offering enough apprenticeships. Not every forestry operation has enough resources in terms of time, money and employees to be able to offer serious and comprehensive training.
In Magdenau Forest District, these resources seem to be available, even after Anna Ehrbar's training has ended. "We have already filled the apprenticeship position for the coming August. Our new apprentice forester is a young man from the region," says Oliver Zangerl. And what does Anna's near future look like?
"I would like to continue my education to become an arborist after completing my apprenticeship with an arborist company. I love climbing and want to continue in the tree world. And maybe I'll return to the forestry industry later." According to Rolf Dürig, about one-third of trained foresters stay in the industry, and many move into related professions. "The churn rate is nothing unusual; this is also the case in other professions. Our apprenticeship graduates are sought-after professionals. They have learned to work in a team, are safety-conscious in what they do and are motivated to lend a hand, all in any weather."
Forest day
The traditional Day of the Forest takes place on March 21. For 2019 the motto is "Good education takes place in the forest". Forest Day was established by the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) in the 1970s in response to global forest destruction. In Switzerland, forests grow on around 1.28 million hectares. This area is cared for and managed by around 5,000 forestry professionals. Almost half of the animals and plants found in Switzerland are dependent on the forest, that is about 20,000 species. Thanks to near-natural, expert forest management, valuable biodiversity is preserved, despite the multifaceted demands placed on today's multifunctional forest. (Information: www.waldberufe.ch, www.silviva.ch/itw)
