Lozère department of France, May 2025
The main aim of this project, run by the Marinapis la Forêt Mellifère association, a A Tree for You partner, is to protect the black bee in the Cévennes (region in south-central France). This local species, Apis mellifera mellifera, is vital for sustainable beekeeping yet unfortunately under threat from habitat degradation, pesticides, parasites, viruses, and the introduction of other bee subspecies.
To achieve this crucial objective, the project aims to establish a melliferous forest by planting 4,312 trees of various species. These plantations will provide food and shelter for the black bee and other wild pollinators, thereby helping enrich local biodiversity. In addition, the project seeks to replace the Austrian black pines on the plot of land with melliferous species, thus creating a sanctuary for pollinators. Another important aspect is recreating the link between humans and nature by organising visits for schools, families, and other groups, to raise awareness of the importance of the black bee and melliferous species planted. Finally, planting trees should help revive the evapotranspiration cycle, regenerate the water cycle, and create a the right micro-climate for this ecosystem.
Thanks to your support, 2024 was a year of real action. The plan for this winter (2024/2025) is to plant 3,360 trees and shrubs of 45 different species!
The planting season ran into difficulties due to heavy rain that left the ground soggy, preventing planting of the planned plants. Of the 3,360 trees planned, 2,610 have already been planted. There are still 750 thorny trees (berberis, prunus spinosa) outstanding. But no panic, the mountain planting season runs until the end of May, so hopefully the planting will soon be completed.
The site is beginning to attract hikers by word of mouth, plus local farmers are showing a keen interest in the project – seeing it as a potential boost for rural tourism and contributing to fire-fighting efforts by diversifying the species planted.
At the start of the project, we were concerned about the damage that game, particularly wild boar – which were very common in the region at the time – could cause to young plants. Since the planting, no damage has been reported. Although the wild boar seem to have left the area, their local absence is good news for the preservation of the young plants.
The next stages of the project are as follows:
- early 2025: planting of the remaining 750 plants over the winter of 2024/2025
- monitoring and maintaining the planted seedlings throughout 2025
- preparing for planting over the winter of 2025/2026: 952 plants will be planted during participation days.
Your support is essential to the success of this ambitious project. We sincerely thank you for your commitment to protecting the black bee and biodiversity. We’ll be sure to keep you informed about the next steps and future developments of this fantastic initiative!
