«For professional wildlife protection»

Constitutional initiative in the form of an elaborated draft

Based on Art. 59 of the Cantonal Constitution of Obwalden of 19 May 1968 and on the Voting Act

Submitted by the initiative committee [date of submission]

Initiative text

The undersigned persons entitled to vote in the Canton of Obwalden submit the following constitutional initiative:

The Cantonal Constitution of Obwalden of 19 May 1968 is supplemented by the following articles:

Art. [new] Professional Wildlife Protection

1 The practice of hunting by private individuals (licensed hunting, hobby hunting) is prohibited throughout the entire territory of the Canton of Obwalden.

2 The protection, care and, where necessary, the regulation of wild animals are the exclusive responsibility of professionally trained wildlife managers in the service of the canton.

3 The culling of wild animals is only permissible as a last resort, when all other appropriate measures for damage prevention or hazard mitigation have been exhausted or are insufficient. It requires prior approval from the Wildlife Commission.

4 The canton shall establish an independent Wildlife Commission composed of representatives of animal and nature conservation organisations, the scientific community, and the relevant authorities. The Commission oversees wildlife management and decides on regulatory measures.

5 The canton promotes the natural regulation of wildlife populations, the connectivity of habitats, and the coexistence of humans and wildlife.

6 Further details shall be regulated by law.

Art. [new] Protection of Threatened and Protected Wildlife Species

1 The canton refrains from submitting applications for the preventive population regulation of protected wildlife species under the Federal Act on Hunting and the Protection of Wild Mammals and Birds, in particular wolf, lynx, bear, beaver, otter, golden jackal, golden eagle, goosander, and other species protected under federal law.

2 It relies on promoting the coexistence of humans and wildlife, passive damage prevention, the ecological enhancement of habitats, and the scientific monitoring of wildlife presence.

3 Measures against individual wild animals that pose an immediate and significant threat to humans remain reserved. They are to be kept to a minimum and carried out by the competent specialist authority of the canton.

4 Within the framework of intercantonal cooperation and in relations with the federal government, the canton actively advocates for the protection and preservation of endangered wildlife species.

Transitional Provision

1 The cantonal government shall issue the necessary implementing regulations within two years of the adoption of this constitutional amendment.

2 Existing hunting licences shall expire upon the entry into force of the implementing regulations. Licence fees already paid for the current hunting season will be reimbursed on a pro rata basis.

3 The cantonal government shall ensure the continuity of wildlife management during the transitional period.

Explanatory Notes

1. Background

In the canton of Obwalden, a small central Swiss canton with approximately 38’000 inhabitants spread across 491 km², today's hobby hunting is a system that serves neither species protection nor contemporary wildlife management. It is the practice of a bloody leisure pursuit at the expense of sentient beings, legitimised by outdated narratives that do not withstand scientific scrutiny. The claim that without hobby hunting the ecological balance would collapse has been empirically refuted by the Geneva model for over 50 years (cf. the comprehensive dossier on the Geneva hunting ban at wildbeimwild.com).

Hobby hunting in Obwalden is organised as a patent hunting system. Private individuals purchase a cantonal licence and hunt without fixed territorial responsibility. Contrary to the widely held claim, licence holders bear no ecological responsibility, but act within the framework of cantonal culling plans (cf. the psychology of hobby hunting in the canton of Obwalden as well as the critical analysis of hunting education at wildbeimwild.com).

At the same time, at the federal level, an increasing number of protected wildlife species are coming under pressure. With the revision of the Hunting Act in December 2022, the preventive regulation of the wolf was introduced. The beaver may be culled upon cantonal application since February 2025. The canton of Obwalden is affected by the return of the wolf: the wolf at Pilatus made national headlines in 2023/2024. The lynx is native to the canton. The golden eagle breeds in the Obwalden Alps. The Engelberg valley and the northern face of Pilatus are habitats of supra-regional ecological significance (cf. the analysis of hunting policy at wildbeimwild.com and the wolf policy at wildbeimwild.com).

The canton of Obwalden has the opportunity to send a clear signal here: not only for professional wildlife management instead of hobby hunting, but also for the consistent protection of endangered wildlife species at the cantonal level.

2. The Role Model: Canton of Geneva

On 19 May 1974, approximately two-thirds of voters in the canton of Geneva voted to abolish recreational militia hunting. Before the ban, large game in the canton had been virtually wiped out: deer and wild boar had disappeared for decades, and only a few dozen roe deer remained. Around 300 hobby hunters released large numbers of pheasants, partridges, and hares for recreational hunting.

The experiences since the hobby hunting ban are unequivocal:

– Biodiversity has increased markedly. The number of overwintering waterfowl has multiplied from a few hundred to around 30’000. Geneva is home today to the largest hare population and one of the last partridge populations in Switzerland.

– The roe deer population has settled at a healthy level, with an annual special cull by professional game wardens of only 20 to 36 animals.

– In 2005, a renewed public referendum saw 90 percent of Geneva's electorate vote in favour of maintaining the hobby hunting ban. In 2009, a motion to reintroduce hunting was rejected in the cantonal parliament by 70 votes to 7.

– The total costs of professional wildlife management in Geneva amount to approximately 1.2 million francs per year, divided into around 600’000 francs for personnel (approx. three full-time positions, distributed among around a dozen environmental officers), 250’000 francs for prevention, and 350’000 francs for damage compensation. This corresponds to approximately 2.40 francs per resident per year.

Geneva's fauna inspector Gottlieb Dandliker, responsible for wildlife management since 2001, describes the hobby hunting ban as the most cost-effective alternative for the canton. A detailed account can be found in the dossier “Geneva and the Hunting Ban” on wildbeimwild.com. The efficiency of the Geneva model is evident in direct comparison: a professional game warden in Geneva requires an average of 8 hours and a maximum of 2 cartridges for a sanitary cull of a wild boar. A hobby hunter in the canton of Zurich requires 60 to 80 hours and up to 15 cartridges. The hare population density in Geneva is 17.7 animals per 100 hectares (the highest in Switzerland), while in the canton of Zurich it is only 1.0 per 100 hectares (cf. Fact Check Cantonal Council Zurich).

3. The Concept: Professional Wildlife Wardens Instead of Hobby Hunting

The initiative does not replace hobby hunting with a vacuum, but with professional wildlife management based on the wildlife warden model. This model is based on the following principles:

Professional expertise instead of recreational pastime. Professional wildlife managers act on a scientific basis (cf. the critical analysis of hunting training on wildbeimwild.com).

Ultima Ratio Principle. A culling is only permissible when all non-lethal measures have been exhausted.

Democratic oversight through a wildlife commission. The independent commission prevents political pressure from diluting wildlife management.

Natural self-regulation as a guiding principle. The experience from Geneva, from national parks and from numerous scientific studies confirms: wildlife populations regulate themselves independently in most cases.

4. Why Obwalden?

The canton of Obwalden is suited for the introduction of professional wildlife protection for several reasons:

Wolf at the Pilatus. The wolf at the Pilatus made national headlines in 2023/2024 and polarised the debate throughout central Switzerland. The Pilatus lies on the border between Obwalden, Lucerne and Nidwalden. The initiative offers a constitutional response: professional wildlife management instead of politically motivated cullings (cf. the wolf policy on wildbeimwild.com).

Engelberg Valley: A Unique Habitat. The Engelberg Valley is one of the most scenically impressive valleys in central Switzerland and a habitat for ibex, chamois, golden eagles and lynx. Professional wildlife management would protect this unique habitat more consistently than hobby hunting (cf. wildbeimwild.com on national parks and protected areas).

Protective Forest at the Brünig and in the Obwalden Alps. Obwalden has a high proportion of protective forest. The wolf naturally regulates the roe deer population and reduces browsing pressure in the protective forest — significant both ecologically and economically.

500 Signatures. With 38’000 residents, 500 signatures represent approximately 2.6 percent of the population. Collection is possible in Sarnen, Kerns, Alpnach, Sachseln and Engelberg (cf. wildbeimwild.com on wildlife in residential areas).

Tourism canton.Engelberg and Pilatus are tourist destinations of national importance. Professional wildlife protection and coexistence with predators are an argument for sustainable tourism.

Patent hunting = simple change of system.No lease agreements, no municipal compensation. Existing permits expire and fees already paid are refunded on a pro-rata basis.

Size comparison with Geneva.Obwalden, with 491 km², has a similar area to Geneva (282 km²). The differences lie in topography (alpine vs. flat) and population (38’000 vs. 500’000). However: lower population density means fewer conflict zones.

5. On the Initiative Text

Paragraph 1 – Ban on Hobby Hunting

The ban on patent hunting by private individuals corresponds to the Geneva model. Cantonal competence is undisputed: Art. 3 Para. 1 JSG. The three hunting systems are equivalent. Geneva has been in conformity with federal law since 1974.

Paragraph 2 – Professional Wildlife Management

Instead of hobby hunters, professionally trained wildlife managers in cantonal service take on all responsibilities. This system has proven itself in Geneva for over 50 years.

Paragraph 3 – Culling as a Last Resort

Culling is the exception, not the rule. Passive measures take priority.

Paragraph 4 – Wildlife Commission

The independent wildlife commission is modelled on the Geneva system. It prevents the cantonal government from independently approving exceptions (cf. wildbeimwild.com/jagd-fakten).

Paragraph 5 – Natural Regulation and Coexistence

The promotion of coexistence in Obwalden includes in particular the protection of the Engelberg Valley, the preservation of protective forests, and public education for residents and tourists (cf. wildbeimwild.com on wildlife in residential areas).

Transitional Provisions

The two-year period gives the cantonal government sufficient time. The existing Office for Forests and Landscape can serve as an institutional basis.

6. On the Second Article: Protection of Threatened and Protected Wildlife Species

The second article is particularly relevant for Obwalden. The wolf at Pilatus has shown how quickly political pressure leads to calls for culling. The lynx is native to the canton. The golden eagle breeds in the Obwalden Alps. The “in particular” formulation also protects future returnees, especially bears (cf. the wolf policy on wildbeimwild.com).

7. Cost Implications: Concrete Budget for Obwalden

The Geneva Reference Budget

In Geneva, the total costs amount to approximately 1.2 million francs annually: around 600’000 francs for personnel, around 250’000 francs for prevention, and around 350’000 francs for damage compensation.

Conservative Projection for Obwalden

For Obwalden, with an area of 491 km² and approximately 38’000 inhabitants, the following deliberately conservative cost estimate emerges:

Personnel costs: 360’000 to 560’000 francs annually. 3 to 4 full-time positions are required. Obwalden is nearly twice the size of Geneva and topographically demanding: the Engelberg valley, the northern face of Pilatus, and extensive alpine farming.

Operating costs: 70’000 to 120’000 francs annually.

Damage compensation: 40’000 to 90’000 francs annually.

Livestock protection initial investment: 300’000 to 500’000 francs. A one-time investment in livestock protection infrastructure for the Engelberg valley and the Pilatus region over three to five years.

Total costs: 470’000 to 770’000 francs annually (gross).

Savings and Offsetting Financing

These costs are offset by savings: no hunting examinations, no licence administration, no culling plans, no hunting supervision. A single senselessly killed wolf costs the public approximately 35’000 francs. Compensatory reproduction — the artificially elevated reproduction rate driven by hunting pressure — subsides within a few years following the change of system.

Loss of Revenue

With the abolition of hobby hunting, licence fees estimated at 200’000 to 350’000 francs annually will cease. However, these are offset by the never-accounted external costs of militia hunting — wildlife accidents, hunting-related browsing damage in protective forests, administrative burden, and police and court interventions — which amount to many times that revenue. In the canton of Geneva, this revenue has been absent since 1974 — without financial difficulties: before the hunting ban, more than 400 hobby hunters were active; today, three full-time positions do the same work better. Sanitary and therapeutic culls carried out by professional wildlife wardens are not the same as regulatory hunting based on hunters' lore or the misguided “nature experience” of hobby hunters. A full cost accounting shows: militia hunting costs the taxpayer significantly more than it generates (cf. “What hobby hunting really costs Switzerland” on wildbeimwild.com).

Hobby hunters in politics vote against nature conservation. The recreational hunting lobby systematically fights biodiversity and species protection concerns. In 2024, it opposed the Biodiversity Initiative (63 percent No). In 2020, the hunting law it helped shape failed at the ballot box (51.9 percent No). In 2016, the Ticino hunters' association torpedoed the Parc Adula national park. During the 2015 to 2019 legislative period, hobby hunters in parliament voted predominantly against environmental concerns. Anyone who claims that hobby hunters are conservationists is ignoring their voting record (cf. Ticino Hunters' Association: 30 Years of Nonsense and Cost Dossier).

The net additional costs are likely to be between CHF 250’000 and 500’000 per year. In absolute terms, the costs are modest: CHF 250’000 to 500’000 for a canton with a total budget of around 390 million francs (state accounts 2024, FFA). That amounts to less than 0.15 percent of the cantonal budget (cf. Hunting myths fact-check on wildbeimwild.com).

8. Compatibility with higher-ranking law

First article: Abolition of hobby hunting

Compliant with federal law. Art. 3 para. 1 HWA. Three equivalent hunting systems. Geneva unblemished since 1974.

Second article: Protection of protected species

Art. 7a HWA enables preventive regulation but does not mandate it. Refraining from such regulation violates neither federal law nor the Berne Convention.

Unity of subject matter

Preserved, as all provisions relate to cantonal wildlife management and the protection of wild animals.

9. Anticipating foreseeable objections

«Obwalden is too small and too alpine»

The facts: Obwalden, with 491 km², has a similar area to Geneva (282 km²), but is more sparsely populated. This means fewer conflict zones. The costs of CHF 250’000 to 500’000 are absolutely modest. The Engelbergertal and the Pilatus region deserve professional protection (cf. the Psychology of hobby hunting in the canton of Obwalden).

Concise communicative formula: «Obwalden is half the size of Geneva. More sparsely populated, fewer conflicts. CHF 250’000 to 500’000. Modest.»

«The wolf on Pilatus shows that we need to shoot»

The facts: The wolf at Pilatus demonstrates the opposite: it shows how quickly political pressure leads to reflexive calls for culling. Professional wildlife management would have monitored the wolf scientifically and protected livestock herds professionally. The wolf regulates the roe deer population and reduces browsing pressure in protective forests.

Communicative shorthand: «The wolf at Pilatus needs professional management, not reflexive culling.»

«The costs are too high for a small canton»

The facts: Even by generous estimates: 250’000 to 500’000 francs. 0.1 to 0.2 percent of the cantonal budget. A fraction of what the canton spends on road maintenance.

Communicative shorthand: «250’000 to 500’000 francs. 0.1 to 0.2 percent of the cantonal budget. Modest.»

10. Summary

This initiative gives the people of Obwalden the opportunity to express their support for modern, evidence-based wildlife management and comprehensive protection of endangered wildlife species. The first article follows the Geneva model, which has proven itself for over 50 years. The second article protects in particular the wolf at Pilatus, the lynx in the Engelberg valley, and the golden eagle in the Obwalden Alps. The similar land area to Geneva, the sparse population, and the modest absolute costs make Obwalden a suitable canton for a change of system.

Initiative committee «For professional wildlife protection»

[Name 1], [Name 2], [Name 3] …

(Committee members in accordance with cantonal law, with residence in the canton of Obwalden)

Contact address: [Address of the committee]

Appendix: Further documentation

The Geneva model in detail: wildbeimwild.com/dossiers/genf-und-das-jagdverbot – Comprehensive overview of Geneva’s wildlife management since 1974.

Scientific studies: wildbeimwild.com/studien – Collection of scientific studies on self-regulation.

Hunting in Switzerland: wildbeimwild.com/jagd-in-der-schweiz – Continuously updated overview.

Psychology of hobby hunting in the canton of Obwalden: wildbeimwild.com – Psychology of hobby hunting in the canton of OW

Psychology of hobby hunting: wildbeimwild.com/category/psychologie-jagd

National parks and protected areas: wildbeimwild.com/category/nationalpark

Wildlife in residential areas: wildbeimwild.com/category/wildtiere-im-siedlungsgebiet

Hunting myths: wildbeimwild.com/dossiers/jagdmythen

Cantonal popular initiative Basel-Stadt: Template text of the initiative in the canton of Basel-Stadt

Note on procedure

The initiative committee submits the initiative text to the state chancellery of the Canton of Obwalden for preliminary review before the start of the signature collection. 500 valid signatures are required for the initiative to succeed. The submission modalities are governed by the voting act.

Strategic briefing for activists

People's initiative «For professional wildlife protection» – Canton of Obwalden Internal working document – Status March 2026

Summary

Obwalden is the Pilatus canton of the series. The wolf at Pilatus in 2023/2024 polarised the debate throughout Central Switzerland. The Engelberg Valley is a unique habitat. 500 signatures among 38’000 residents are achievable. The absolute costs are modest at 250’000 to 500’000 francs. The similar area to Geneva (491 vs. 282 km²) makes the size comparison compelling.

1. Why Obwalden in particular?

Wolf at Pilatus. National headlines in 2023/2024. The species protection clause is the direct response.

Engelberg Valley. Unique habitat. Ibex, chamois, golden eagle, lynx.

500 signatures among 38’000 residents. 2.6 percent. Achievable.

Similar area to Geneva. 491 km² vs. 282 km². Size comparison compelling.

Patent hunting = simpler system change. No lease contracts.

Absolute costs modest. 250’000 to 500’000 francs.

2. The lessons from Zurich: What we will do differently

Positive title. «For professional wildlife protection».

Wolf at Pilatus as a mobilisation topic. Emotional anchor.

Absolute costs rather than per capita. 150’000–350’000 francs is more compelling than per capita figures.

3. Opposition analysis and prepared responses

Counter-argument 1: «Obwalden is too small and too alpine»

Communication shorthand: «Obwalden is half the size of Geneva. Less densely populated, fewer conflicts.»

Counter-argument 2: «The wolf at Pilatus shows that we must shoot them»

Communication shorthand: «The wolf at Pilatus requires professional management, not reflexive culling.»

Counter-argument 3: «The costs are too high»

Communication shorthand: «250’000 to 500’000 francs. 0.1 to 0.2 percent of the cantonal budget. Modest.»

4. Communication strategy: The three core messages

«The wolf at Pilatus requires professional management.» Emotional anchor for Obwalden.

«Geneva has been leading the way for 50 years.» 90 percent approval.

«Professional rather than hobby.» Professionals rather than recreational hunters.

5. Timeline and Next Steps

Phase	Content	Timeframe
Committee Formation & Text Pre-Review	Engage a lawyer; committee members with OW residency	Months 1–3
Submission for Pre-Review	State Chancellery of Obwalden	Months 3–4
Publication & Start of Signature Collection	Target: 1’250+ signatures as a buffer	Month 4
Party Contacts & Coalition Building	SP, Greens; Pro Natura; BirdLife; Engelberg Tourism as partners	Months 1–10
Submission of Signatures	State Chancellery, official verification	After collection period
Cantonal Council Debate	Parliamentary anchoring; media work	Subsequent months
Referendum Campaign	Pilatus Wolf, Engelbergertal, absolute costs	Before vote

6. Campaign Materials

• The Geneva dossier on wildbeimwild.com as the central body of arguments.
• The Psychology of Hobby Hunting in the Canton of Obwalden as background material.
• Local media: Obwaldner Zeitung, Obwaldner Volksfreund, Tele 1.
• Infographic: Wolf at Pilatus as the key motif. Engelbergertal. Size comparison OW vs. GE. Absolute costs.

7. Further Sources

• Geneva Hunting Ban in Detail
• Scientific Studies
• Hunting in Switzerland
• Psychology of Hobby Hunting in the Canton of Obwalden
• Hunting Myths Fact-Check
• National Parks and Protected Areas
• Federal Hunting Statistics (FOEN)
• Cantonal Popular Initiative Basel-City

This document is a template text by IG Wild beim Wild. It may be freely used and adapted to the circumstances in the Canton of Obwalden by activists, organizations, or initiative committees.

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