In 2011, WSL and the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) launched the joint project, "Monitoring the Effectiveness of Habitat Conservation in Switzerland" The project aims to determine whether habitats of national importance (dry meadows and pastures, alluvial areas, bogs and fens, amphibian breeding sites) are changing according to their conservation targets and maintaining the same surface area and quality. Long-term monitoring effectiveness should also provide an early-warning system for the federal government and cantons, ensuring that national and regional trends are detected quickly enough to take the necessary measures in good time.
The habitats of national importance are a crucial element of the Swiss protected sites network. They include the dry meadows and pastures, alluvial areas, bogs and fens and amphibian breeding sites listed in the national inventories.