Rangers fear Swiss forests could be targeted for firewood amid energy crisis
With Switzerland and other European nations threatened by a shortage of gas and electricity this winter there are concerns people will head to the forests to stock up on free firewood.
The chairman of Switzerland's Federal Electricity Commission, Werner Luginbühl, even recommended on Sunday that people should build up reserves in the event of a disaster scenario.
But as a result forest rangers fear many will take to the forests to illegally build up their supplies.
Some countries like Poland have already seen people take to the forests to chop down trees for firewood, but so far Switzerland has been spared this kind of phenomenon.
But perhaps not for long.
Thomas Studer, director of a forestry operation in the canton of Solothurn told 20 Minutes: “Wood supplies are melting like snow in the sun.”
He fears there will be a rise in thefts in the coming weeks in the Swiss forests.
He said many walkers were already picking up branches that have fallen to the ground. He urged people to be responsible but warned that thieves would be punished because Swiss forests were not “self-service”.
“It’s theft and therefore punishable,” he said.
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The chairman of Switzerland's Federal Electricity Commission, Werner Luginbühl, even recommended on Sunday that people should build up reserves in the event of a disaster scenario.
But as a result forest rangers fear many will take to the forests to illegally build up their supplies.
Some countries like Poland have already seen people take to the forests to chop down trees for firewood, but so far Switzerland has been spared this kind of phenomenon.
But perhaps not for long.
Thomas Studer, director of a forestry operation in the canton of Solothurn told 20 Minutes: “Wood supplies are melting like snow in the sun.”
He fears there will be a rise in thefts in the coming weeks in the Swiss forests.
He said many walkers were already picking up branches that have fallen to the ground. He urged people to be responsible but warned that thieves would be punished because Swiss forests were not “self-service”.
“It’s theft and therefore punishable,” he said.
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