What is the Urstamm Project?
Urstamm is all about sustainability and quality straight from the Swiss forests. It’s a project that guarantees transparency from the root to the finished wooden product, ensuring seamless origin certification. This means every wooden object can be traced back to its source, giving full confidence in its sustainable journey. The focus? Sustainable forest management that truly pays off by unlocking the full potential of Swiss forests. It’s not just about wood—it’s about preserving a natural heritage that supports ecosystems, cleans the air, stores water, and protects against natural hazards. And yes, it’s about using wood as a unique, sustainable building material that binds CO₂ and replaces energy-intensive alternatives. Simply put, Urstamm connects nature and humanity in a meaningful way.
Main Benefits of the Urstamm Project
Forest owners and the environment both stand to gain a lot from Urstamm. Here are some key benefits:
- Securing forest services for future generations
- Value increase from the natural growth of your forest
- Sustainable use – the forest continues to be managed responsibly
- Regionality & transparency – a Swiss project with the highest quality standards
- Easy participation – group projects allow even smaller forest areas to benefit
Facing the Challenges of Climate Change
Climate change, droughts, and pest infestations are putting Swiss forests under serious pressure. Urstamm tackles this head-on by focusing on transforming forests into climate-resilient ecosystems. This isn’t just a nice idea—it’s a necessary response to protect the health and value of forests long-term. Since timber harvesting alone can’t cover the costs of these vital measures, Urstamm’s IFM-CO₂ projects step in with sustainable solutions. The CO₂ credits generated help secure both the economic and ecological value of the forest, ensuring that future generations can enjoy these natural treasures.
How Urstamm Supports Forest Owners
For forest owners, Urstamm offers a clear path to sustainable forest management with fair compensation. The process starts with a detailed analysis of the forest using management plans and cutting-edge technology. Then, project documents are created, and the project kicks off with tailored planning to ensure success. Every five years, Urstamm precisely measures forest growth to accurately record CO₂ binding—not just modeled estimates. The project is certified according to ICR standards, guaranteeing top quality and international recognition. Ultimately, forest owners receive fair, long-term compensation for verifiable CO₂ storage, making sustainability a win-win.
Transparency and Quality at the Core
Urstamm stands for verified quality and full transparency. Every step, from forest analysis to CO₂ certification, is independently verified to meet fundamental quality criteria. The CO₂ credits generated are additional to normal forest management, secured for the long term, and backed by independent verification. This means the impact is real, measurable, and trustworthy. It’s a project that doesn’t just talk about sustainability—it proves it.
Project Impact and Sustainable Development Goals
- SDG 13: Climate Action – promoting climate-resilient forests and CO₂ storage
- SDG 15: Life on Land – preserving natural habitats and biodiversity
- SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production – sustainable use of forest resources
- SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth – supporting forest owners with fair compensation
- SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals – collaboration between stakeholders for sustainable forestry
Getting Involved with Urstamm
Interested forest owners can easily join through group projects, making participation accessible even for smaller forest areas. The journey begins with a thorough forest analysis, followed by tailored project planning and precise growth measurements every five years. Certification ensures international recognition, while fair compensation rewards sustainable efforts. For more information or to get started, Pascal Inauen is the contact person ready to assist. Urstamm invites everyone to work together to preserve the forest and harness its power meaningfully—because the future depends on it.
