Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, France, December 2020
The first trees introduced as part of the A Tree for You planting programme with Felix are healthy and growing well. Yet due to the health crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, not all the trees could be planted. Further planting is planned for February-March 2021. Felix has set up an assisted natural regeneration area (ANG) on the northern part of the plot. An agroforestry technique, ANG involves identifying and protecting species and allows the development of those that have not been planted but occur naturally on the plot.
A total of 450 trees (30% of the plantation) were planted with the help of about twenty participants, including students from Jean-Errecart high school in Saint-Palais (64). Felix greatly appreciated this support. Everyone enjoyed a day full of warmth and good humour that encouraged exchange and sharing.
During planting, the trees were mulched and those over 1.8-metre high pruned. Despite a few slug attacks, Felix noted the excellent growth of his trees. During the monitoring phase, the mortality rate (8 trees out of 450) proved extremely low.
Electric cattle fencing was installed around the seedlings to protect the trees planted on these plots of land based on dynamic rotational grazing. This plot management system ensures grass growth is maximised to meet the feed requirements of animals.
In addition, among the species planted, white mulberry trees were selected for their fodder value.
Felix hopes to improve the well-being of his animals while providing an additional food source of food once these trees have grown.
However this will take patience: Felix can only cut the branches and feed the foliage to his animals after three years’ growth. This light cutting will not affect the development of the trees.
Up to the end of 2020, Felix will continue to look after his animals and crops, as well as preparing to plant the remaining 1,060 plants in February-March 2021. A total of 1,510 trees will be introduced to ultimately obtain 1,208 lasting trees. The planting operations will be followed up in 2021 with a visit by the students from Jean-Errecart high school, who will be able to see first hand the fruits of their efforts.
