Toute l'actualitéIn March 2021, Reforest’Action contributed to reforest the Toscan countryside of Prato, for the second year in a row. Formerly destroyed by insects, the 13-hectare area covered by the project is now welcoming a diversified stand.
Located at the extremity of the natural reserve of Aquerino, thoses stands used to be populated by a single variety of tree (spruce) until 2019.
As for agriculture, this monospecific management faced various threats: soil impoverishment, decrease of biodiversity, fragility related to climate change, higher risk of biological or insect attack.
And for a good reason: barks beetle are xylophagous insects that are particularly harmful to forests. By digging galleries under the bark of trees, they block the circulation of sap. In the end, their action results in the death of the tree. On the Prado plot, bark beetles had ravaged 80% of the stand.
A gradual diversification
2019-2020 Program: in order to mitigate bark beetle attacks, a first wave of planting was organised on the massif during the 2019-2020 season. In total, 21100 shoots were planted in islands of softwoods, composed of douglas firs, cedars and pines.
2020-2021 Program : as part of this gradual strategy, this season was the occasion to start diversifying the species planted. Due to unfavourable weather conditions and shortages of seedlings, the work is extended until November 2021. Thus, nearly 32,125 trees will complete the plantation and encourage the natural settlement of oaks and chestnut species.
To recreate a forest ecosystem
This tree planting project will help restore a healthy forest ecosystem. The diverse and blended species planted will allow for greater biodiversity to flourish. The trees planted will also store carbon and contribute to the wood production. The diversity tree species will help the forest to be more resilient to the growing climatic hazards.