Hönggerberg

Climate change is transforming our forests – and the wood we build with. Discover how the MainWood project explores sustainable ways to use the tree species of the future, from the forest to the finished building.

How do trees “drink”? Follow a drop of water through the forest and discover how trees and forest soils store, transport and release water back into the atmosphere. Learn why these processes are essential for helping forests survive periods of drought.

Step into the shoes of a forest manager! Simulate how typical Swiss forests might change over the coming decades under different climate scenarios. Which tree species will disappear, and which will thrive?

Trees may seem large and permanent, but every tree begins as a tiny seed or seedling. Facing challenges from animals and weather, only few survive to reach the forest canopy. Learn how to identify Swiss tree seeds and seedlings and discover how scientists study the hidden struggles of these small survivors.

Which tree species will shape the forests of the future? Discover the diversity of native trees and learn why both species diversity and genetic diversity within species are essential for helping forests adapt to climate change.

What will the forests of the future look like? Put on a VR headset and travel decades into the future. Explore different climate scenarios and discover how the decisions we make today could shape the forests of tomorrow.

Forests are important allies in the fight against climate change because they absorb CO₂ from the atmosphere. But a newly planted forest is initially a source of CO₂. When does a young forest become a CO₂ sink? On the Hönggerberg, we measure this with a new flux tower – breath by breath.