Isone

Isone is a municipality in the district of Bellinzona in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.

Isone is mainly known for being the location of the grenadier school (Grenadierschule) of the Swiss Army. The Grenadiers are a corps of the infantry and is being instructed in Isone since 1970. Before, the instruction had taken place in Losone.

Geography

Isone has an area, as of 1997, of 12.82 square kilometers (4.95 sq mi). Of this area, 0.55 km² (0.21 sq mi) or 4.3% is used for agricultural purposes, while 8.3 km² (3.2 sq mi) or 64.7% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 0.27 km² (0.10 sq mi) or 2.1% is settled (buildings or roads), 0.07 km² (17 acres) or 0.5% is either rivers or lakes and 1.36 km² (0.53 sq mi) or 10.6% is unproductive land.

Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 0.9% and transportation infrastructure made up 1.0%. Out of the forested land, 53.2% of the total land area is heavily forested and 4.8% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 3.4% is used for growing crops. All the water in the municipality is flowing water. Of the unproductive areas, 9.4% is unproductive vegetation and 1.2% is too rocky for vegetation.