Wooden fences
Wooden fences are very widespread, particularly in the timber-rich municipalities of the park. Some replacements used for missing nails and screws show that great resourcefulness has been used.

These also reveal the application of astonishing technical skill and knowledge about such things as the proper handling of timber with regard to the time of felling, the species of tree, storage, the type of cut when felling, and treatment. In the pilot projects, various wooden fences in areas much frequented by the public - not only traditional, older fences but also standard, new ones - are to be assessed and restored or replaced.

Pollard willows

Nowadays the special, pollarded form of the willow tree is vanishing more and more from the landscape. The municipality of Turtmann, however, is still home to some relics of this old agroforestry system of land use. These mighty pollard willows with trunk circumferences of up to 7 metres are a rarity in Switzerland.

Pollard willows create a diverse habitat in what is a very compact space, providing hollows for birds and bats and food for a great many insects. Humans have used many willow species in this way since time immemorial. The reason for this is the pliability of willow rods, which makes them excellent for binding and weaving. The valuable raw materials for which the willow was originally prized are, however, no longer used.

Due to lack of maintenance cutting, these trees become over-mature and the often now-hollow pollard willows begin to disintegrate under the pressure of snow and in the wind. As part of the project, the pollard willows requiring the most urgent maintenance will receive this. New trees will be planted in the Rhone valley floor using the branches of these willows, to ensure the continued survival of these valuable features of the landscape.

Hedgerows

The Pfyn-Finges Regional Nature Park features high quality hedgerows that have arisen through cultivation of the land. They served humans as a form of protection and defence as well as clearly delimiting property and supplying raw materials for everyday objects, firewood and food. For this reason, specific hedging plants were favoured and the hedgerows were cultivated intensively.

Due to neglect, various dominant species of tree and shrub that used to be harvested are now taking over. In many areas, hedgerows are developing into closed populations of trees, depriving most shrubs and plants of the light essential to their survival. What were once varied structures and valuable, small ecosystems are becoming ingrown, with this in turn having a negative effect on the diversity of species, with the exception of the old wood and deadwood phases.

Within the pilot projects, particularly valuable stretches of hedgerow will be tended to. In particular, dominant species of tree and shrub are to be reduced and ecologically valuable species and smaller systems are to be nurtured.

Avenues

Avenues are also a typical feature of the landscape of the Pfyn-Finges Regional Nature Park. As a result of over-maturing and for road safety reasons, many old avenues have disappeared in recent decades. In various municipalities, new locations for the avenues are being sought in consultation with the canton. In the municipality of Leuk, a new avenue of one kilometre in length is being planted as part of the Boundaries and Culture project.

The project of the nature park Pfyn-Finges

The first element involves the taking of an inventory of the boundaries in this cultural landscape, with these being divided into categories and entered into a GIS system. The second element involves the maintenance and, in some cases, renovation or complete restoration of traditional boundaries such as hedgerows, pollard willows, avenues, drystone walls and wooden fences.

The third element consists of the removal of problematic boundaries such as barbed wire and reinforcement lattice and the replacement of these with properly erected electric fences. Finally, cultural aspects such as traditions handed down orally, sayings and customs are to be documented and archived and active measures taken in terms of environmental education and publicity.

2010 and 2011 the first pilot projects will be implemented by the local forestry organisations. The findings and data from these projects are then to be used for drawing up a plan for enhancing the value of the boundaries throughout the nature park.