the essential
Among the 500 remarkable trees listed by the Arbres et Paysages d'Autan association, an old oak tree is included in the inventory. Its location is jealously kept secret.
“A tree is worth it.” Janine Cransac, founder and president of the Arbres et Paysages d'Autan association, discovers new remarkable trees each year in the Haute-Garonne department.
The “latest” one is located “between Avignonet and Villefranche”, in Lauragais. We will not know more, except that the venerable oak, aged 550 years, entered directly into the personal list of “little darlings” of the author of the book “Discovering the remarkable trees of Haute -Garonne”, published by Muséo.
“It is not in the book, and no, among the 134 trees that we identified in the latest version of the book (which dates from 2023), it has not yet found its place.”
He is as if leaning on his trunks
But the oak is probably the oldest in Haute-Garonne, if we are to believe the specialist. How can we hope to find it, for “hunters” of remarkable trees? “The tree is located at the edge of a path which makes a bend. It is as if leaning on its trunks, on the side where it does not overlook the path. It is on private property, but can be observed very easily “.
The fascination that it exerted on Janine Cransac and the members of the association is linked in particular to the fact that the oak was able to adapt to its environment. “Its trunks have truly plunged into the earth, to balance it and resist the Autan wind, which blows strongly in this area. »
The mayor of the village where the oak is located “knew well” one of the last owners of the land, and sent the association information on her age. “We then went there. It's a stunning tree, which somehow healed itself. I refuse to talk about intelligence for trees, it is a very human-centered term. But resilience, yes.” Faced with climate change, Janine Cransac wants to send a positive message. “The trees are not all ruined, as we can hear. Their ability to manage themselves will always impress us. »
