More than two million cubic metres of wood were harvested last year in Switzerland for firewood alone, the largest amount recorded since statistics began.
That’s according to figures from the Federal Statistical Office and the Federal Office for the Environment.
In total, 5.2 million cubic metres of wood were chopped down in the country last year, 4% more than in 2021. This is the fourth consecutive increase, year on year, in the wood harvest. Wood used for log burners and open fires increased by 7%, meaning sales of wood for heating homes has almost doubled over the past 20 years.
The increase in wood being used for heating is thought to be down to a rise in the number of people installing wood-fired heaters and the energy crisis. Demand for logs for heating has been steadily increasing since 2020.
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