Peach trees, walnut trees, cherry trees, hazelnut trees, apple trees… In Gargenville, a town located a few kilometers from Mantes-la-Jolie (Yvelines), the town hall has just signed for the creation of an astonishing forest massif. Called “food forest”, this green lung is supposed to supply, in the coming years, leisure centers and retirement homes with wild fruits and berries.
A thousand trees and shrubs will be planted in the coming months, on a five-hectare plot of land located on the outskirts of the city and sandwiched between two supermarkets. “This is a file that we have been working on for almost two years,” explains Yann Perron, mayor (DVD) of Gargenville and architect of this forest. I had this idea in mind for quite a long time. When the agricultural plot that belonged to us became available, we worked very concretely on this project. We received grants and we were helped in particular by the Vexin regional natural park. »
The first plants will be planted next spring and fall. They should produce their first fruits fairly quickly: cherries, apples, pears, chestnuts, sloes, etc. Picking will be carried out by local residents. “The site will not be open to the public, it will not be a park,” warns the mayor. We can imagine leisure centers going there with children to harvest apples, parents' associations selling their harvest to finance school activities. Retirement homes will also be able to stock up on it to treat the elderly. The panel is quite wide. »
Although children will be able to taste and pick the fruit during outings, they will not be able to enjoy it on the canteen menu: regulations impose strict traceability, which prohibits any deviation. And too bad for the efficiency of the short circuit…
Beyond its educational and cultural interest, this giant garden, of which there are only a few examples in Île-de-France, is also attractive for its environmental impact. The reconversion of a field into a forest contributes to the capture of carbon dioxide and the creation of islands of freshness in the city, particularly in the highly urbanized Seine valley.
This type of forest presents itself as an ecosystem in its own right and attracts insects and small animals. It is generally divided into several strata, the one closest to the ground being home to mint, sorrel, cabbages, etc.
