She ironically calls it “the survivor”. Charlotte Desrousseaux, resident of Castella, made sure that the centenary cedar that marks the entrance to her aisle, would survive the RN 21 site. A story “which I wanted to tell to demonstrate that everything is not lost Advance as long as we dare to fight. »»
Fifteen years ago, when she and her husband buy their stone house, they did not suspect that they were going to become the residents of two times: “We had heard that the project was in the boxes … But as he had been for forty years we thought he would never be done. So when they learn that they are going to be expropriated from part of their land to carry out the site, they resigned themselves … until a beautiful morning of December 2024 when Charlotte hears the noise of chainsaws far too much Close to his house: “When I went out, I saw that they were preparing to shoot down the oldest of my cedars, the one who marks the entrance to the property. I ran to prevent them. This tree was still mine. Expropriation was not yet acted. »»
The state offered 3,500 euros to Charlotte Desrousseaux to buy the tree.
Charlotte Desrousseaux
Three times, it will prevent them from carrying out their fatal mission. “At one point, the tone went up with the Dréal (Regional Directorate of Environment, Planning and Housing) which accused me of delaying the site …” Some time later, the forties saw experts land for Measure the size of the trunk: “I then received a purchase proposal for cedar …” but the proposed sum of 3,500 euros did not flex it.
-Negotiated with the site manager
From then on, Charlotte Desrousseaux will act to try to save her tree … Alone: ”I contacted an environmental association in the area, but they replied that they had nothing to do. The forties, who had attended some time before the slaughter of an entire forest not far from her house and the cherry trees in her neighbor, did not want to give up.
“So, one day, I decided and just went to the site manager in his office at the end of the road. I wanted to explain the situation to him and that he helped me to find a compromise. The man, employee of the Guintoli company in charge of the work, was quite sensitive to his arguments to support his request to the DREAL: “Subsequently, I sent photos of the cedar and his geographic location to the Direction of Dreal, in Poitiers. I supported my request for arguments, like what, in particular, cedar had a root system in depth and did not risk, in the long term, to smash the bitumen. »»
Last September, and while between the time, the cedar passed into the hands of the state, Charlotte Desrousseaux won. The tree is saved. The Dréal has agreed to review its plans and moved the layout of the future RN 21 of a few meters to give its place in cedar more than a century old: “In return, I verbally commit myself to maintain it, even if it does not is more now me, ”adds Charlotte Desrousseaux.
