Here I briefly outline several trends that are likely to affect Swiss forests and Swiss forestry in the coming decades. The climate in which Swiss forests will grow in the future is changing, and the socioeconomic forces affecting Swiss forestry are likely to change even more rapidly and unpredictably. Foresters make management decisions with consequences that last for decades. Therefore, they need to plan for future conditions that may differ substantially from those that prevail at present. Research can help, both in anticipating the changes that the future will bring, and in clarifying the risks and benefits of alternative management strategies.