France – agroforestry for climate resilience in Ariège

Background & challenges

Éliane’s farm, in eastern Ariège (southwestern France), is managed organically across 88 hectares of meadows, orchards, heath- and woodland. Producing honey, aromatic and medicinal perfume plants (Plantes à Parfum, Aromatiques et Médicinales, PPAM), fruit, and hay, it is especially vulnerable to the growing impacts of climate change. Éliane also breeds English ponies and runs a forest school every Friday during the school year.

Periods of summer drought are lasting longer and intensifying, while the increasingly frequent Autan and sea winds are drying out the soil. At the same time, heavy autumn rainfall is causing abnormal soil erosion.

The soil is even more vulnerable since it is is shallow (less than 20cm) and calcareous, with low water-holding capacity. This threatens not only agricultural yields, but also biodiversity and the long-term viability of the farm activities. The agroforestry project therefore aims to plant 339 fruit and melliferous trees (pear, sorb, wild service, field maple, Italian maple, hackberry, large-leaved lime and peach) across five hectares. The objectives are multifold:

1. Protect and improve soil fertility

• Generate organic matter through fallen leaves and roots that supportssoil microfauna.
• Limit erosion caused by heavy rain by stabilising the soil with roots.
• Improve soil structure and water retention in poor, calcareous soils.

2. Mitigate the effects of climate change

• Reduce impacts of prevailing winds and summer droughts with tree rows that provide shade and create a  more humid microclimate.
• Limit extreme summer temperature variations to protect crops and livestock.

3. Strengthen local biodiversity

• Create an ecological corridor connecting two natural areas (broadleaf and coniferous forest).
• Provide shelter and food (nectar, pollen, fruit) for wildlife and pollinators, especially Éliane’s beehives.
• Maintain and enrich existing meadows with over 10 herbaceous species.

4. Diversify and enhance agricultural production

• Produce fruit (pears, peaches) for local consumption or artisan processing.
• Develop PPAM (perfume, aromatic and medicinal plants) cultivation between tree rows.
• Provide biomass and melliferous resources (lime, maple, sorb trees) to support beekeeping.

5. Enhance and promote the landscape

• Structure the landscape with harmonious tree alignments that contribute to local attractiveness and tourism.
• Create spaces suitable for leisure and educational activities, especially the forest school hosted weekly on the farm.

A long-term response to climate challenges, this innovative project also promotes a resilient and environmentally friendly agricultural approach to inspire other farms in the region.

Works timeline

• Before August 2025: ordering plants, guards, stakes, and supplies
• September 2025: marking planting lines and soil preparation (loosening, subsoiling, refinement)
• October – December 2025: planting 339 trees (pear, peach, lime, field maple, sorb), installing stakes and guards, plus mulching
• January – February 2026: watering if necessary to help the young trees establish
• Spring – summer 2026: plantation monitoring (vegetation management and monthly watering in the case of  drought)
• September 2026: mortality survey, replacing young trees if necessary

Monitoring will continue for three years after planting (mortality monitoring, formative pruning, inter-row management, and tree development follow-up).