Swiss National park

The Swiss National park is a National park located in the valley of the Engadine, in the canton of the Grisons, in Suisse.

Introduction

Founded the 1914, the National park currently reaches 172 km ². It is largest Natural reserve of Switzerland and its only National park.

Located in Engadine, in the quadrilateral Zernez - S-chanf - Collar of Ofen - Scuol, the park is in the area more in the east of Switzerland; this territory includes/understands alpine grounds going from 1400 to 3200 m of altitude. Known for the richness of its Flora and its alpine fauna and for its intact wild landscapes, the Swiss National park belongs to the exclusive group of strict natural reserves (categories I). In this diversified habitat, nature is left entirely with itself, the human being plays only one secondary part; he is only the witness. He is next to the National park of Stelvio (Italy).

Goals

The payment of the National park, written in 1980, been taken legal basic of the National park and described its duties. The payment defines the existence and the goal of the National park. " The National park is a natural reserve in which nature is entirely withdrawn from any action or influences human, and in which the whole of the animals and the plants is left entirely with its development naturel." The payment gives the bases of the protection of the National park whereas the detailed provisions are described in the cantonal decree. This one contains the indications on the goals of protection, the routes, prohibitions and the restrictions. The Swiss National park works towards three ends:

Protection of nature: with the National park, it is interdict to drive out the animals, to cut the trees and to mow the lawns. The conditions which reign there today are those present before the arrival of the man, 5000 years ago.
Research: Thanks to the scientific research it is possible to evaluate, include/understand and file the changes which took place in the National park. Long-term research is of very first importance because it allows the comprehension of the natural processes. There exists much of interesting assumptions.
Information: Beside protection of nature and research, education is one of the most important duties of the national parks. The information given by the National park contributes to the comprehension of nature by the visitors.

Project of enlarging

Since 1914, the National park reached, in various stages, its current surface of 172 km ². The first National park of Central Europe is today in the penultimate place by its surface. According to current knowledge, and contrary in the opinion of the founders of the park, this surface is too restricted to make it possible to maintain the diversity of the Espèce S. the choice in habitats is not enough vast to offer a ideal Biotope to all the plants and animal species indigenous. It misses for examples of the crystalline rocks such as Granit and Gneiss. Certain wetlands with lakes and grounds Marécage ux are apart from the Park.

Since 1996, one seriously speaks to increase the National park. Various lobbys carried out negotiations to this end. In addition to the enlarging of the current central zone, it would also be a question of establishing a zone of environment. This one would make it possible to maintain habitats and to protect the indigenous species. It envisages the integration of compatible agriculture to nature contrary to the central zone. The commune of Lavin posed the first stone for the enlarging of the National park the 2000, the area of the lakes of Macun of 3,6 km was integrated in the central zone of the Park.

Information

Foundation: August 1st, 1914
Surface: 172.3 km ²
Altitude: 1400 to 3173 m
Structure:

1/3 forest
1/3 alpine pastures
1/3 rocks éboulis

Pedestrian ways: 80 km
Routes: 21
Educational path: 1 (Stabelchod/Margunet).

Situation & Access

The Swiss National park is located in mountain. You must thus provide you with good walking shoes as well as protection against the rays of the sun, the wind and the rain. The alpine climate is marked by rapids changes of time (Orage S). For the Excursion S, you must carry with you enough supply and especially with drinking.

The access to the park can be made several manners:

By the train:

since Landquart by the Tunnel of Vereina in Low-Engadine.
Since Coire by Samedan in High-Engadine.

In the car:

Zurich - Landquart - Collar of Fluela - Engadine
Meran - Collar of Maloja - Engadine
Lausanne - Sion - Brig - Collar of Furka - Collar of Oberalp - Reichenau - Thusis - Savognin - Collar of Julier - St-Moritz - Zernez.

The majority of the starting points can be reached by means of public transport.

The basic idea of the National park is to let a place develop naturally and to observe the changes there. This philosophy is anchored on the law of 1980. To carry out this idea of protection, the visitors must comply with certain rules…

Payment & prohibitions

It is not necessary to have a license to walk in the National park, nevertheless the groups of 20 people and more will have to announce themselves at the house of the National park of Zernez.
the entry of the Park is free.
the best period for the excursions extends from mid-June to mid-October. In winter the park is closed.
In order not to disturb the ground, the flora and fauna, it is interdict to approx. leave the paths marked on 80 km
the dogs are not allowed inside the National park.
It is not allowed to make bicycle, ski and horsemanship, the park can be visited only with foot.
It is strictly interdict to gather or carry natural objects such as plants, animals, wood or stones.
It is interdict to make fire, to fish, drive out or to collect mushrooms.
It is interdict to camp or bivouac, to spend one night in the National park (even in a vehicle along the road of Ofenpass).

A team of gamekeepers is charged to make observe these rules. It is thus possible, according to the seasons and the various places of the park, to meet many wild animals, even in full day. If only one person does not comply with these rules, certain animal species or vegetable are likely to be threatened and to disappear. If this payment seems to you hard and irritates you, think that it was written to make it possible nature to freely develop and without disturbance.

Information & opening

It is highly recommended to visit the Maison of the National park in Zernez before undertaking an excursion. The personnel of the office of information can inform you in a complete way about the excursions, guided visits, the duration of the excursion or the state of the ways and the paths. You will also find there many works, booklets, charts and memories, but also of the video exposures and projections.

Opening of at the beginning of June to the end of October the every day even Sunday of 8:30 to 18:00. Tuesday of 8:30 to 22:00.

The Cabane Cluozza located in the middle of the National park is open of at the end of June to the beginning of October and offers same comfort as the Swiss Alpine Club. The small exposure which is there gives some explanations on the National park; the entry is free.

External bonds

Official site of the Swiss national park
Card of the park on site UNEP-WCMC

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