Parc naturel du Jorat

What Parc naturel du Jorat does

Parc naturel du Jorat is a Swiss non-profit association (Association Jorat Parc naturel) that operates a 9.3 km² protected nature park within the larger 40 km² Bois du Jorat forest, exclusively on the territory of the City of Lausanne in the Canton of Vaud. Classified as a Parc d'importance nationale (Park of National Importance) by the Swiss Confederation in 2021 — making it the first periurban nature park in French-speaking Switzerland — it functions as a biodiversity refuge and wildlife corridor between the Jura and the Prealps, and is documented to support 1,134+ recorded species including 90+ threatened species.

Its core product is the protected park itself, augmented by a portfolio of educational and visitor services: a mobile application (Parc naturel du Jorat Guide), guided and nocturnal nature walks, school programs, an interactive map, an annual Festi'Jorat festival, and, as of May 2025, a pedagogical shelter and two didactic trails ('Parole de Brigande' and 'Bufo le Crapaud'). Underlying technology is limited to standard digital channels and field-based biodiversity monitoring infrastructure rather than proprietary software platforms. Scientific research is conducted in partnership with the Université de Lausanne (UNIL) and FENIL, positioning the park as an open-air ecological laboratory.

The business model is that of a publicly-supported non-profit: no commercial revenue is disclosed, and the entity relies on Swiss federal, cantonal (Vaud), and municipal (Lausanne) funding, supplemented by donations and small short-supply-chain programs for FSC/PEFC-certified local wood and terroir products. Governance is exercised by an association committee presided over by Natacha Litzistorf (Municipal Councillor, Lausanne) with Sophie Chanel as Directrice. Customer segments are non-paying: the general public, schools and educational institutions, scientific researchers, and the local community. Pricing is not publicly disclosed, consistent with a free-access public park model.

Name

Parc naturel du Jorat

Legal name

Association Jorat Parc naturel

Website

https://jorat.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Parc naturel du Jorat is a Swiss non-profit association operating a 9.3 km² federally classified protected nature park in the Bois du Jorat forest near Lausanne, serving the general public, schools, and scientific researchers via guided walks, school programs, a mobile app, and biodiversity research.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nature Conservation and Environmental Education Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Forestry (800), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAAAFAB

Conservation Parks & Private Nature Reserves (Visitor Operations)

Travel & Hospitality/Adventure, Amusement Parks & Ecotourism/Wildlife Sanctuaries, Conservation Parks & Reserves (Visitor Operations)

Keywords

• Peri-urban nature park
• Biodiversity conservation
• Environmental education
• Scientific research monitoring
• Sustainable forestry

Headquarters

HQ city

Lausanne

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Parc naturel du Jorat is a protected peri-urban nature park spanning 9.3 km² within the 40 km² Bois du Jorat forest near Lausanne, Switzerland. It delivers biodiversity conservation, environmental education (guided walks, school programs, interpretive trails, mobile app), scientific monitoring of species and habitats, and support for sustainable local resource use (FSC/PEFC certified wood, terroir products). It was classified as a Park of National Importance by the Swiss Confederation in 2021.

Product overview

The Parc naturel du Jorat is a protected nature park that functions as its core product, spanning 9.3 km² in the Bois du Jorat forest near Lausanne, Switzerland. The park offers a comprehensive ecosystem of services including the mobile application (Application mobile Parc naturel du Jorat) for visitor navigation and discovery, accompanied nature walks (Balades accompagnées), school educational activities, and scientific monitoring programs. Major recent offerings include the educational shelter (abri pédagogique) and interpretive trails (Sentiers didactiques) inaugurated in 2025, plus an interactive map and short supply chain programs for local FSC/PEFC-certified wood and terroir products. The park positions itself as an open-air laboratory for scientific research while serving as a peri-urban conservation area for biodiversity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Parc naturel du Jorat (Protected Nature Park)

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,134+ species recorded in the park area, demonstrating exceptional biodiversity
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Swiss Federal Government (Confederation)coreOthers · 1 January 2021Classified the Parc naturel du Jorat as a Park of National Importance in 2021 under Swiss Federal law.
• Ville de Lausanne (City of Lausanne)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe park is exclusively located on Lausanne municipal territory. The city provides administrative support and co-hosts events like Festi'Jorat. Mayor Grégoire Junod attended the official inauguration in May 2024.
• Canton de VaudcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCantonal government support including forest management, wildlife conservation (amphibian rescue operations), and administrative approvals. Cantonal Councilor Venizelos attended the official inauguration.
• UNIL (Université de Lausanne)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for scientific research including wildlife monitoring, species tracking, and biodiversity studies in the park area.
• FENIL (Field Exchange for Nature and Innovation in Lausanne)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on wildlife monitoring and research, including camera trap studies of wildlife (roe deer, polecats, hikers) in the Jorat forest.
• Local Forest OwnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with forest owners and managers to support sustainable forest practices and FSC/PEFC certification for local wood products in the short supply chain.
• Vaud Ambassadors (Vaud Promotion)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Vaud tourism promotion to market the park as a destination in the Vaud region.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Parc naturel Pfyn-Finges: Swiss regional nature park in Valais recognized under the same national park strategy. Comparable structure: visitor programming, biodiversity monitoring, and educational offerings for schools and the public.
• UNESCO Biosphere Entlebuch: Swiss UNESCO-recognized biosphere reserve with overlapping mandate of biodiversity conservation, sustainable regional development, and research/education — directly comparable to Jorat’s open-air laboratory positioning.
• Naturpark Thal: Swiss regional nature park in canton Solothurn operating under the same federal Park of National Importance regime. Comparable scope: visitor activities, school programs, biodiversity projects, and short supply chain offerings.
• Swiss National Park: Switzerland’s only national park and the benchmark Swiss protected-area operator. Same regulatory framework and visitor-education mission, though operating at substantially larger scale and stricter protection regime.
• Parc naturel régional Gruyère Pays-d'Enhaut: Swiss regional nature park operating under the same federal Park of National Importance framework. Comparable mix of biodiversity conservation, visitor programs, school activities, and short supply chain (terroir) initiatives.
• Parc Jura Vaudois: Swiss regional nature park also located in the Canton of Vaud. Highly comparable peri-urban-style conservation park offering visitor programming, biodiversity monitoring, and educational activities under the same Swiss national park framework.

Broad incumbents

• WWF Switzerland: Major Swiss conservation NGO with overlapping biodiversity, species protection, and public-education programs. Does not operate a single dedicated nature park, but competes for the same donor, government, and awareness dollars as Jorat.
• Pro Natura: Switzerland’s largest nature conservation NGO, operating multiple nature reserves and engaging in advocacy. Overlaps with Jorat on biodiversity protection, education, and habitat management, but at a national advocacy and portfolio scale rather than a single-park focus.

Regional players

• Parc national des Cévennes: French national park combining biodiversity protection, visitor education, and sustainable regional development. Comparable visitor-and-conservation mission, though under French national park governance and at a larger geographic scale.
• Parc naturel régional du Haut-Jura: Adjacent French Régional Nature Park offering visitor programming, biodiversity conservation, and educational activities in the same Jura mountain range. Operates under the French PNR framework rather than Swiss law, limiting direct competition but high operational comparability.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/parc-naturel-du-jorat

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Parc naturel du Jorat