Montredon-Labessonié, 3 July 2019
Environmentally conscious, Chrystophe was keen to restore this old plot of land in the Tarn, with the technical support of Plantons pour l’avenir. By spring 2018, earthworks had already been carried out to prepare the land for planting using a root rake tractor (claw mounted on a shovel – see photo).
The first plantations took place in the autumn of 2018.
Work on just 3.56 hectares of the planned 4.2 were completed. A more humid area covering 0.64 hectares has deliberately been left untouched to encourage growth of natural alders and willows. Chrystophe keeps a close eye on this regrowth and protects the new trees.
The 20% of the total project value this zone represents was therefore not transferred to Chrystophe. This sum was allocated to another project also led by Plantons pour l’avenir and situated in France, in the Orne department.
Thus, no less than 1,550 black locust trees, 1,050 black alders, and 200 small-leaved limes were planted in square holes dug and worked by pickaxe.
Chrystophe has also installed 1.20m-high nets around the stakes to protect the young trees from roe deer (every second sapling).
This year Chrystophe will clear the land to remove brambles from the plot. The plantations will need some replenishment: he will replant to replace trees that won’t survive.
Today, Chrystophe is proud of his plantation: “If we don’t replant, society will increasingly struggle to reduce its carbon impact. We forest owners are planting for our children. It’s a vision for a sustainable future!”
