Each year, 6 million plants (including 27% hardwoods and 73% softwoods) come out of the Forelite nursery in Arue (Alliance forest bois cooperative), or 25% of the plants produced in France. A nursery supplied by seed orchards (the nearest is in Bazas, in the Gironde Landes) previously tested in one of the group's arboretums, then rigorously mapped out in order to guarantee the owners the best possible yield, while taking into account the climate change, “which is happening faster than expected”, according to Stéphane Viéban, general director of Alliance forest bois. It is this adaptation of plants to the forest of tomorrow that Loïc Iffat, director of the Arue nursery, watches over.
More than 80 different forest species are produced here for 150 references (each species is produced with several origins and packaging) adapted to different terrains and climates, from Morocco to Brittany.
Cork oak (also produced in Arue) is experiencing renewed interest.
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Between March and June, seeds and acorns are allowed to germinate in cells before continuing their development outdoors for a few months. Then, between October and May, the plants are shipped to different customers, particularly in Nouvelle-Aquitaine.
The post-Klaus change
“Pine, which is our economic engine, allows us to diversify our production,” explains Stéphane Viéban, guiding a visit to a hangar with a photovoltaic roof which houses a packaging line for cork oak plants, before shipment. Two to three years of development were necessary before this species could be produced.
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For Stéphane Viéban, pine, the economic engine of the cooperative, makes it possible to diversify production.
These hardwoods respond to the concern for diversification, a valuable ally in the fight against fires and for biodiversity: natural disasters have set a precedent.
Like Klaus in 2009, to whom the Arue site owes its development, both in terms of equipment and surface area (it went from 7 hectares before this storm to 16 today). Forelite employs 12 permanent staff plus an average of eight seasonal workers over the year.
