Regional forest organizations and their innovation impact on forestry and regional development in central Switzerland

The capacity for innovation spurred by regional organizations (ROs) and their impact on regional economic development are explored through forest expert interviews and a survey of small-scale forest owners in the Canton of Lucerne, in central Switzerland. The results show significant differences between the economic positions of forest owners who joined ROs and those who did not. Among RO members, the proportion of certified forests is higher, and in net financial return from their forest holdings and marketing effectiveness, they are significantly better off after only a short period of time compared with RO nonmembers. This process innovation, however, will not transform the forest sector substantially nor does it intend to do so. Its economic impact on regional development is modest at the present level of organization.

Research Highlights
► Improvement of regionally organized forest owners' economic situation in central Switzerland.
► A new forest policy measure that has been implemented in Switzerland was investigated.
► The pros and cons of private forest owners' organization have been reported and discussed.
► The conditions of process innovation in the forestry sector of central Switzerland have been analysed.