“#WOODVETIA – campaign for more Swiss timber”

Since the start of the year, the forestry and timber industry and FOEN have been promoting Swiss timber using the hashtag Woodvetia.

A life-sized wooden sculpture of Alfred Escher (railway pioneer and politician) will be travelling the length and breadth of Switzerland in an SBB passenger carriage until the end of the year. (Photo: #WOODVETIA)

​The awareness campaign aims to positively influence and consolidate people's attitude to Swiss wood on a long-term basis. The forestry and timber industry is combining forces to promote the use of native timber. Consumers are being encouraged to consciously choose Swiss wood when building new houses, carrying out conversion projects and buying furniture. #WOODVETIA is not using conventional advertising methods such as TV commercials and posters, but instead wants to get people actively involved.

At the heart of “#WOODVETIA – campaign for more Swiss timber” are life-sized figures of well-known Swiss individuals created by artist Inigo Gheyselinck. These figures have been hewn from a single tree that is typical of the region in which the individual in question lived and worked. These wooden ambassadors represent the diversity of Swiss woods. Additional elements include a website containing information on Swiss timber and a documentary in which psychoanalyst Peter Schneider and radio personality Patrick Dujany seek to account for the falling demand for Swiss wood. #WOODVETIA is planning further offbeat initiatives for the Swiss Timber Days, which will be held on 15 - 16 September.