Description

The term "Selve" is derived from Latin "silva"-forest. Selven are park-like forest landscapes, where the use of trees for culture and "unternutzung" were priority. Selven are intensely cultivated areas: One can distinguish two types of Selven: Selven with seasonal cultivation (like forest pasture) or the mowed meadow as "Unternutzung".
Pasture: The pasture took place into summer, i.e before the nut and chestnut harvest. During maturation and harvest there is no pasture. The leaves were used as stable bedding into the 20th century. This way soil acidification by the leaves was prevented. The wood from the forest was used as fuel or building material.

Chestnut-Selven in Switzerland are subject to forest law.

Literature

Kurth Alfred (1967): Waldwiederherstellung in der Kastanienzone der Alpensüdseite der Schweiz. Ein Beispiel angewandter forstlicher Forschung und Planung

Links

Sources

Eidgenössisches Departement für Wirtschaft, Bildung und Forschung WBF
Bundesamt für Landwirtschaft BLW Direktionsbereich Direktzahlungen und Ländliche Entwicklung