In Gironde, why a beech was planted in the Hayas woods

In the Hayas woods in Escoussans (Gironde), next to Bordeauxa plant of beech (Fagus sylvatica), supplied by the Cardon Nurseries in Cadillac-sur-Garonne, was set up at the foot of the jouquet of a palombière, by two paloumayres, Jacques Gaye and Gilles Bougréau, and by members of the association Les Friends of Benauge Park.

It is chaired by Jean-Paul Chasseriaud.

“Hayas” means “Beech”

The origin of the name “Hayas” is precisely “Beech”. We can read on the cadastral map of Escoussans: Beeches; on the cadastral plan of Soulignac : Ayas ; on the IGN map: Bois du Haya, in the commune of Saint-Pierre-d'Aurillac. In the past, some Benaugeants said “Bailla” for “Hayas”.

In 2022-2023, student Florentin Hucault (Master 1 Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, from the University of Poitiers) reported on the flora from the Bois du Hayas, supervised by Gabriel Balloux from CRES (Underground Research and Exploration Club, in Mérignac).

This student observed, in the Hayas woods, the following trees: downy oak, pedunculate oak, sessile oak, common hornbeam, maple, hazel, blood dogwood, black locust, chestnut, common ash, maritime pine, service tree, laurel -cherry, poplar-aspen… but no beech!

94 beech trees in the forest

In 2018-2019, Gabriel Balloux and Simon Powell (CRES Environment Commission) published a report on the Benauge Park forest: Fauna and flora study of Benauge woods (Arbis, 33).

They listed 94 beech trees in this great forest some of them very old. Beech is characteristic of ancient forests with a cool and humid atmosphere (case of those of the Benauge woods which are at the bottom of the valley of the L'Œuille stream).

In Entre-deux-Mers, we also find beech trees Donzac, Omet, Semens, Saint-André-du-Bois, Madirac, Capian, Gabarnac, Monprimblanc, Loupiac, Saint-Pierre-d'Aurillac, Créon. And, in Gironde, in the Ciron gorges.

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