Friends of Nature

Swiss miniature stamp sheet

Nature, health, sports, culture, green tourism: all of these are issues that the Swiss "Friends of Nature" association focuses on. And they remain the key issues in 2005, the year in which the association celebrates its centenary.

Friends of Nature Association

The "Friends of Nature" is an association for people who like to spend their leisure time outdoors and who are dedicated to preserving a healthy environment. The association currently has around 24,000 members in Switzerland, with 170 local groups spread throughout the country. The first local group in Switzerland was established close to Zurich 100 years ago.
A typesetter who had immigrated to Switzerland from Hungary got the ball rolling. After the summer of 1905, local groups emerged in quick succession in Lucerne, Berne, Biel, Basel, Davos, St. Gallen, Schaffhausen, Winterthur, Arbon, Pfäffikon, Uster and Rorschach.

Chalets in the best locations

The chalets run by the Friends of Nature - comprising a good 90 properties around the country- have always been one of the association's mainstays. As the Friends of Nature have always had a good nose for attractive locations, these houses can be found in Switzerland's most beautiful regions.

Stamps in detail

Issue: Switzerland, 6 September 2005
Stamp printing: offset by Austrian State Printing Office
Stamp perforation: 13,5 : 13,75
Stamp design: Thomas Dätwyler