In densely populated and mountainous Switzerland forests have to fulfil different demands: timber production, protection, recreation, nature conservation. Prevailing function in the mountain is the protective function. The silvicutural systems applied to mountain forests aim to maintain and enhance the protective function. The technical equipment used for the intervention is carefully chosen to serve the silvicultural goals. This is expensive and the costs for the necessary interventions can no more be covered by the return on timber sales. Public subsidies shall enable the forest enterprises to maintain the mountain forests and its protective function appropriately.