Deep in Switzerland's Seeliwald Reserve, carnivorous plants digest insects to survive in nutrient-poor swamps, while ancient trees accumulate carbon undisturbed for over half a century. This is proforestation in action - not planting new forests, but allowing existing ones to grow wild and free.

Professor Harald Bugmann from ETH Zurich has been studying one of Europe's most fascinating ecological experiments: what happens when humans completely step back from forest management? The results are surprising. While these unmanaged forests store up to 200 tonnes of carbon per hectare and host extraordinary biodiversity, scaling up this approach across Europe faces unexpected challenges.

From Swiss Alpine protection forests that guard villages from avalanches, to the economic realities facing forest owners, this episode reveals why the future of European forests requires a delicate balance between human needs and nature's autonomy.

Credits

«WILDCARD. The Forest Game» is a podcast production written by Silvia Giralucci for the WILDCARD project and Starter.

Scientific Supervisor: Giorgio Alberti, University of Udine

Editorial Supervisor: Gesche Schifferdecker, European Forest Institute

Voice-over: Rahel Könen, European Forest Institute

Post-production: Santiago Alarcón, European Forest Institute

Graphic design and visuals: Gabriela Rueda, European Forest Institute

Learn more about the WILDCARD project:

⁠www.wildcard-project.eu ⁠

European Forest Institute: ⁠www.efi.int ⁠

Follow us also on LinkedIn: ⁠WILDCARD project