ABOUT SWISS

The Swiss take pride in their lush landscapes. From Mid may to September every year, tourist head for the short-lived but dramatic annual display of wild flowers in the Alpine meadows of Switzerland. There they also find peace. The silence is broken only by the occasional tinkling of cowbells.

Strictly speaking, the term Alpine meadows refers only to some regions in the mountain ranges. These regions are above  the natural tree line and just below the snowline. The ‘tree line‘ is the altitude beyond which tree can no longer grow. This is because of severe weather conditions. The area is covered in snow for almost the entire year. As a result, beyond this altitude, there are only dwarf shrubs and grasslands.

Battling heavy snowfall, frost and low oxygen and carbon-dioxide concentration gives the plants in this region special characteristics. Many heavy medicinal properties. They are more nutritious for wild and domestic animals than lowland plants because they grow slower and hence have a higher fiber content.

They also put on a floral display to attract pollinators and complete a cycle of life. The mix of highly nutritious grasses and legumes in the Alpines region has attracted gazers to trek up every summer with their cattle for centuries. Swiss agriculture is oriented towards livestock production. This provides more than two-third of the country’s agrarian income. Milk is by far the most important product of Swiss farming and forms the raw material for two famous Swiss exports – Cheese and Choclates.