A Village and Its Protective Forest
Overview
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Hint
Intro
There are washing houses, mills, bird-catching cages, and drying houses for chestnuts.
A didactic trail shows how Andermatt is connected to its protective forest. Photos and excerpts from topographical maps show Andermatt in the Urseren Valley at its most characteristic: in the valley houses pressed close to each other as if seeking protection in each other's presence, clear-cut mountainsides, except just above the village. Here there is a small triangle of forest that has been the savior of this alpine village on numerous occasions. It has protected the village from snow and rock avalanches that are rather common in the mountains.
But the forest located above this village is not just any kind of forest but rather it has been put under protection by the local authorities already in 1397. Already then a visionary realized that this forest would help keep the inhabitants of this area safe.
Later on forest wardens learned that forests need to be cultivated and freshened up constantly in order to be able to resist the occasionally massive attacks from further up. Vacationers to Andermatt will realize that their safety is largely due to the vision of the early burghers of Andermatt and their descendents.
How to get there:
Drive or take public transportation to Andermatt on the Gotthard Pass.
