Thank you very much for packing up your rubbish! (Including your dog's waste). Do you know why this is so important? Firstly, because rubbish harms the environment and is unsightly, and secondly, because it can be very dangerous for grazing animals. If a cow or other grazing animal found a tin can or other objects such as plastic bottles in the pasture, it would probably not simply eat them. However, rubbish such as tin cans and other objects become a problem at the latest when the farmer drives over the rubbish with his tractor and haymaking machines, chopping it up into many small pieces. If a cow or other grazing animal accidentally swallows one of these fragments, it can get stuck in its stomach and even damage the stomach wall, causing inflammation. Often, such injuries are not noticeable from the outside, but the cow then produces less milk, eats less and may develop a fever. In the worst case, it may need to be taken to the veterinary clinic and undergo surgery. Cigarette butts and dog faeces in the grass are also a health hazard. Let's keep our grazing animals on clean pastures. Thank you very much! 

How long does waste survive in nature?

The Working Group for the Forest (AfW) lists the following in its decomposition table:

• Paper tissue: 2-4 weeks
• Cigarette butts: 1-5 years
• Chewing gum: 5 years
• Plastic bag: 10-20 years
• PET bottle: 450 years
• Drinks can: 200 years
• Glass bottle: indefinite

Thank you very much for staying on the official hiking trail and thus protecting the pastures. The lush, fresh and healthy grass on pasture land is food for cows, sheep, goats and other grazing animals. The healthy green grass provides many valuable vitamins and nutrients, which are also contained in the delicious, fresh milk that we are able to drink. Even if there are no cows or other grazing animals to be seen in the pasture at the moment, the grass should be allowed to grow undisturbed and will be mowed by the farmer with a haymaking machine when the time is right and ‘served’ to the cows as delicious hay in winter. If the grass is flattened to the ground from being trampled on, the hay harvester cannot mow it and the farmer loses important ‘meals’ for his animals, which he then has to buy. If you only find a narrow strip of grass, then do as the ducklings do and walk in single file behind each other – the farmers and grazing animals will thank you for it! 

It is just as important to close the fences, gates and barriers behind you. Their main function is to ensure that the grazing animals do not leave their ‘home’. 

Thank you very much for keeping a safe distance from cows, calves and other animals and not touching them. Hiking trails also lead across pastures. When entering these pastures, it is essential to pay attention to animals – cattle, sheep or herd protection dogs – and their behaviour. Cattle have their personal space, similar to the natural distance zone between humans. If this safety distance is not maintained, the animals may feel threatened. Keep your distance as much as possible so as not to disturb the animals and always walk past them quietly and calmly. Calves sometimes lie somewhat hidden away from the herd. Their mothers always keep an eye on them and do not like strangers touching their offspring. Do not approach the calves and do not touch them under any circumstances. You can find more information at the Swiss Farmers' Union, among other places.

Thank you very much for keeping your dog on a leash so that grazing animals (and other animals) are not disturbed. Especially when grazing animals are nearby, it is very important to keep your dog on a short leash so that cattle etc. are not unnecessarily startled, as cattle and other grazing animals often classify dogs as predators and want to protect their herd. Please also pick up after your dog, as eating dog faeces is harmful to cows' health. So please keep your dog on a short leash, walk around cattle and other grazing animals as calmly and widely as possible, and avoid direct contact with the herd.

Thank you very much for using the official barbecue areas. These can be found at various locations in Aeschi, Aeschiried and in the Suldtal valley. You can find more information about our official barbecue areas here. Once you have enjoyed your delicious sausages, it is important to extinguish the fire properly. Speaking of delicious sausages, you can buy them at Metzgerei Lengacher, Aeschi or at one of the farm shops in Aeschi. 

Please note the fire ban. A fire ban may be imposed when there is a high risk of forest and field fires. Where a fire ban is in force, all sources of fire that could cause a fire are prohibited. Further information can be found here.