In recent weeks, attention has been focused on the forest… “It’s a massacre,” lamented a hiker recently. “It is better to cut down the wood that falls,” retorted a Jura resident.
We remember that the President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron, chose the Jura, 4e forestry department of France, at the end of November, to launch its “1 young person, 1 tree” program. It was then announced that the objective was to replant a billion trees by 2030. A way to fight against episodes of drought, the dieback of certain species, bark beetles, but also forest fires.
His management is rising in the government’s concerns. After having voted 500 million euros in the finance law for 2024, he has just created a position of interministerial delegate for the forest to “promote, coordinate and monitor the implementation of ecological planning of the forest, the transformation and uses of wood. It was Jean-Michel Servant, former president of France Bois Forêt, who represents the sector, who was promoted.
A strategic subject
In Les Echos of April 18, Antoine Pellion, general secretary for ecological planning at Matignon, declared: “The forest is a strategic subject in several respects: it plays an essential role as a carbon sink (it stores half as much carbon than ten years ago) and for biodiversity, but also for the economy and industry through its exploitation. And also: “The government wants to accelerate on many projects”: the announced planting of millions of trees, the use of forest wood for biomass or even the structuring of a downstream sector so that wood can be worked in France, instead of being exported and then re-imported as finished products.
A few days ago, Polish elected officials were made aware of the state of their forest, which covers 2,900 hectares, making it one of the largest municipal forests in France. Thanks to professionals from the National Forestry Office, they observed an ash tree which had lain down, attacked by a fungus, Chalara. “Even if the trees are lying down, there are seeds,” explained Sébastien Vincent. The ash tree will grow back one day. It will take 200-300 years. On a forest scale, it’s nothing, on a human scale, it’s a lot. The forest will always be there. »
Bark wood can be used
The municipal council also noted the damage caused by the bark beetle. When it settles into the spruce, it doesn’t stand a chance. But you can make a frame with bark wood. They learned about replanting efforts, sometimes undermined by heat, wind or mining equipment that compacts the soil.
“We have seen catastrophic things with the human eye. In the forest environment, there is no extreme dieback,” concluded Thierry Chaussignand, head of the territorial unit. In Jura, there are nine UTs with 8 to 10 agents. “We are always happy to explain what we do and for people to be interested in the forest. »
For certain municipalities in the department, the forest is their only resource. “We sell 11,000 m3 per year,” explained André Jourd’hui, deputy in charge of the issue in Poligny. Three quarters softwood, one quarter hardwood. 70% dry and withering. » On average, a m3 of softwood sells for €60, 150 to 250 euros for hardwood. Some Polish wood is labeled AOC and thus brings in around twenty additional euros per m3.
