WaMos 2 - Socio-Cultural Forest Monitoring
Marcel Hunziker
Project staff2009 - 2033
Cooperation FinancingPublications
The aim of the research project WaMos 2 is to assess the attitudes of the population towards forest and wood related topics. In doing so, the project revisits and builds upon work that was done in 1997. The results of WaMos 2 will serve as a basis for forest related policy, and the forest- and environment-related reporting of FOEN.
The second WaMos socio-cultural forest monitoring survey (WaMos 2) examines the Swiss population’s attitudes and behaviour in relation to the forest. The survey was carried out in late 2010 and involved 3022 informants. A large number of the questions can be compared with those asked in the first socio-cultural forest monitoring survey (WaMos 1), which was carried out in 1997. The survey examines people’s relationship with the forest as recreational space, wood producer, protection against natural hazards and in its ecological function. WaMos 2 also reveals people’s preferences for different forest types, their general attitudes to forest area and forest health, and the importance that the population assigns to the different forest functions. The study enables conclusions to be drawn on the influence of language, values, landscape preferences, childhood experience, age and other factors on the relationship between people and the forest.