{"id":58648,"date":"2026-03-31T13:16:30","date_gmt":"2026-03-31T11:16:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ethrat.ch\/?page_id=58648"},"modified":"2026-03-31T14:57:10","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T12:57:10","slug":"the-tree-doctor-who-protects-forest-health","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/ethrat.ch\/en\/the-tree-doctor-who-protects-forest-health\/","title":{"rendered":"The \u201ctree doctor\u201d who protects forest health"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"58648\" class=\"elementor elementor-58648 elementor-58178\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-0d831fb elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"0d831fb\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-1fe72cc\" data-id=\"1fe72cc\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-331fcf6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"331fcf6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"664\" src=\"https:\/\/ethrat.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/WSL_Reportage_1000x600_150px.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-58182\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ethrat.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/WSL_Reportage_1000x600_150px.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/ethrat.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/WSL_Reportage_1000x600_150px-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ethrat.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/WSL_Reportage_1000x600_150px-768x510.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-e8130dc elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"e8130dc\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-a840010\" data-id=\"a840010\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cbb88b3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"cbb88b3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Area monitoring by Swiss Forest Protection<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-755e8ff elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"755e8ff\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-af0a592\" data-id=\"af0a592\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1e9177e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1e9177e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h1>The \u201ctree doctor\u201d who protects forest health<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-0393b50 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"0393b50\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-c22fd06\" data-id=\"c22fd06\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d4b9f0f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d4b9f0f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>As a boy, Valentin Queloz used to love spending time in the forest. Today, his childhood playground is his place of work. As the \u201cGroup leader Swiss Forest Protection\u201d at WSL, he is responsible for the \u201carea monitoring\u201d nationwide early-warning system.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-df5716b elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"df5716b\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-956b687\" data-id=\"956b687\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bf532a6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"bf532a6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>When Valentin Queloz attends specialist conferences, he sometimes meets microbiologists who study the human microbiome. That\u2019s when he realises: \u201cWe actually deal with very similar issues. A healthy forest is like a healthy person:<br \/>it needs a stable microbiome with lots of different things working together.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Queloz, who is from French-speaking Switzerland, also has good reason to be pessimistic: climate change is encouraging the spread of various pests. \u201cAs coldblooded organisms, some native beetles are benefiting from the higher temperatures and reproducing more now than in the past. The milder winters are also allowing Mediterranean species to become established,\u201d explains Queloz. At the same time, the number of organisms being introduced into our forests is increasing exponentially.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-9b21fd9 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"9b21fd9\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b05011c\" data-id=\"b05011c\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4961428 elementor-widget-mobile__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4961428\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Swiss Forest Protection<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>works<\/strong> with the cantonal forestry services to <strong>assess<\/strong> the occurrence and extent of biotic and abiotic damage to forests, <strong>provides information<\/strong> on current forest protection issues, <strong>advises<\/strong> those affected on forest protection matters, and is <strong>involved<\/strong> in the further training of forestry services, the green sector, students and other specialist staff.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-cd544d9 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"cd544d9\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4d84b41\" data-id=\"4d84b41\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f65d319 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"f65d319\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-8e92107 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"8e92107\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5a3ecc9\" data-id=\"5a3ecc9\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5f4bfca elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5f4bfca\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>WSL is countering this development by means of area monitoring \u2013 a nationwide early-warning system designed to protect Swiss forests from harmful invasive organisms. The research centre does not want to delay the discovery of dangerous species until they have already eaten their way through half a forest. The idea is to focus on prevention rather than treatment. \u201cIn the past, you simply reported on what<br \/>you had found,\u201d says Queloz. \u201cToday we search specifically and can say: we\u2019ve checked and it\u2019s not there.\u201d Eight target species on the EU\u2019s quarantine list are being monitored \u2013 including the Asian longhorned beetle, the emerald ash borer and the pinewood nematode, as well as two fungal diseases, phytophthora ramorum (which causes sudden oak and larch death) and pine pitch canker.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-64b16d6 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"64b16d6\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-84dca69\" data-id=\"84dca69\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4580305 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4580305\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Insects are caught in funnel traps in the treetops at 75 monitoring sites in 16 cantons, and spores are also collected. Forest protection officers from the cantons, often foresters or forest engineers, empty the traps every month during the spring\/ summer and send the contents to WSL. Around 600 to 1,000 samples are gathered each year. \u201cWe sort the sample contents and search for the target species. We also check whether non-native, non-listed species are present in the samples,\u201d says Queloz.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis makes us the hub between research, politics and practice.\u201d Queloz\u2019s group is working with experts from the Phytopathology and Forest Entomology groups to investigate how different species spread into Switzerland, and is testing DNA analyses to identify new species in trace material more quickly. \u201cIn the future, we want to be able to read from a kind of genetic soup to work out which insects or fungi are on the move.\u201d These methods are still complex and expensive. \u201cBut we are continuing our research to make them more economical and efficient,\u201d says the scientist.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-62394f1 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"62394f1\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3892da4\" data-id=\"3892da4\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-da1ce5c elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"da1ce5c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" src=\"https:\/\/ethrat.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/WSL_Reportage_2_1000x600_150px.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-58194\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ethrat.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/WSL_Reportage_2_1000x600_150px.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/ethrat.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/WSL_Reportage_2_1000x600_150px-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ethrat.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/WSL_Reportage_2_1000x600_150px-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-9e3b5ae elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"9e3b5ae\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-f07b501\" data-id=\"f07b501\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c93ff8d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c93ff8d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><em>Valentin Queloz in Oberwinterthur, a monitoring area in the Canton Zurich.<\/em><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-aa85eab elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"aa85eab\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-c8e0c22\" data-id=\"c8e0c22\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-19ba69b elementor-blockquote--skin-quotation elementor-blockquote--align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-blockquote\" data-id=\"19ba69b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"blockquote.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<blockquote class=\"elementor-blockquote\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-blockquote__content\">\n\t\t\t\tValentin Queloz does not\r\nbelieve that the forests will\r\ndisappear, but thinks that\r\ntheir benefits will change.\r\n\u201cThe big question is what\r\nwe expect from them.\r\nShould they store CO\u2082, filter\r\nwater or provide protection?\r\nWe have to act accordingly.\u201d\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-q-footer\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<cite class=\"elementor-blockquote__author\">\u2014 Valentin Queloz<\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-669350d elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"669350d\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-2161818\" data-id=\"2161818\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d3b23c8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"d3b23c8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-42a641f elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"42a641f\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4d21a16\" data-id=\"4d21a16\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f75760b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f75760b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>His team is just as diverse as the task itself. Biologists, forest engineers, data analysts, laboratory technicians \u2013 everyone plays their part in ensuring that invasive organisms do not become established in Switzerland unnoticed. The system only works because the cantons support it. They look after the forest areas, while WSL supplies the material and instructions on how to empty the traps.<\/p>\n<p>However, if the presence of organisms on the quarantine list is suspected, Queloz and his team go out and assess the situation on site themselves and prevent any pests from spreading further as a result of human intervention. He is particularly pleased when the knowledge gained from research has a direct impact. \u201cProfessionals who have attended our courses and lectures often report suspicious forest protection cases from their everyday lives. This indirectly increases the monitoring density,\u201d explains Queloz.\u00a0<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-fd91ec3 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"fd91ec3\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-c8e879d\" data-id=\"c8e879d\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-75d4e35 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"75d4e35\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>\u201cThat gives us a sense of achievement. And contributes to our prevention efforts.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Once a year, all the forest protection officers meet up with the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) and WSL. \u201cEveryone works well together,\u201d emphasises Queloz. \u201cAt the end of the day, we all want the same thing: healthy forests.\u201d<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-18f8f15 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"18f8f15\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-9c8ff03\" data-id=\"9c8ff03\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-880ea86 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"880ea86\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The boy who used to roam the woods as a child has become a researcher who has retained his fascination for this ecosystem \u2013 and all its facets: \u201cWe work with disease and death,\u201d he says, \u201cbut this often helps us to make the forests more attractive. When bark beetles destroy spruce trees in the Swiss Mittelland, hardwood grows back and adds to the diversity of the forest.\u201d And as a researcher, he is of course delighted when he discovers a new species of fungus, even if it is harmful to trees.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe sometimes have to curb our enthusiasm a little in the field,\u201d says Queloz, who has professional experience in forestry himself. He graduated in forest engineering from ETH Zurich and specialised in forest health and fungal diseases early on. He wrote his dissertation on root fungi on spruce trees and ash dieback \u2013 topics that have stayed with him to this day. Before joining WSL, he was responsible for forest protection in the Canton of Jura alongside his research activities at ETH Zurich. This dual function between research and practice stands him in good stead today. When the opportunity arose to take on a full-time position at WSL in 2015, he jumped at the chance: \u201cIt was a perfect fit for my career.\u201d<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Area monitoring by Swiss Forest Protection The \u201ctree doctor\u201d who protects forest health As a boy, Valentin Queloz used to love spending time in the forest. Today, his childhood playground is his place of work. As the \u201cGroup leader Swiss Forest Protection\u201d at WSL, he is responsible for the \u201carea monitoring\u201d nationwide early-warning system. When &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"search-tag":[],"class_list":["post-58648","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The \u201ctree doctor\u201d who protects forest health - ETH-Rat<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ethrat.ch\/de\/der-baumdoktor-im-dienst-der-waldgesundheit\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The \u201ctree doctor\u201d who protects forest health - ETH-Rat\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Area monitoring by Swiss Forest Protection The \u201ctree doctor\u201d who protects forest health As a boy, Valentin Queloz used to love spending time in the forest. 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