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Expertises

Expertise CRREF

Clearance and Renewal of Forest Stands
01/03/2021 - 30/04/2022

In recent years, the development of the timber industry in France and the effects of climate change on forests have brought forest management to the forefront. On the one hand, there are increasingly organised protests against clear-cutting, plantations in general and pure conifer plantations in particular. On the other hand, the recurrence of droughts, which increase the risk of major sanitary crises (such as the one currently raging in the Grand-Est), and the increase in wood harvesting make it necessary to innovate in renewal strategies.
In response to this observation, the CRREF study began on 1 March 2021, for a period of 14 months, to evaluate the clear-cutting-renewal system and analyse renewal methods in the context of climate change. Depending on the state of knowledge, the expertise will answer questions raised by experts and stakeholders, providing reliable arguments and economically viable techniques for choosing forest stand renewal methods.
The main themes addressed are: the definition and ongoing monitoring of clear-cutting, the historical, social and human dimensions, the effects of the clear-cutting-renewal system on the local water cycle, soils and biodiversity, the economic and regulatory aspects of clear-cutting and, finally, the control of renewal and innovations in this field in the context of climate change.

Partners: The project is managed by the GIP Ecofor and involves experts from various institutes (INRAE, IGN, Bourgogne-France-Comté University, ONF, Rouen University (Ecodiv laboratory), OFB, CNPF, FCBA)
Fudings: support from the RMT AFORCE (funding from the Ministry in charge of forests), the Agency for the Environment and Energy Management (ADEME) and the Ministry for Ecological Transition (MTE)

Expertise and reflection on forest biodiversity indicators and monitoring

Since 1997…
For several years, the team has been working on improving forest biodiversity monitoring systems and indicators, through dedicated projects (e.g. Passifor2, Scientific Support to the ONB), on the fringes of other projects or by participating in ministerial working groups for sustainable forest management indicators. Scientific support to the National Biodiversity Observatory concerns both forest biodiversity indicators and expertise work - particularly methodological - on the entire ONB. It leads us and will lead us to co-construct new biodiversity indicators with partners.

Transfer materials

In the framework of the project DEFIFORBOIS PSDR4 :
2 motion design videos have been produced:

• the first video dedicated to the large public explains how to make wood energy truly sustainable and beneficial
• the second video dedicated to professionals, presents six recommendations to stakeholders (forest owners and managers, professional operators, etc.) for sustainable forest management forêts

The DEFIFORBOIS project brings together research teams from INRAE Val de Loire (UR EFNO in Nogent-sur-Vernisson, UMR BioForA in Orléans), the ONF and the FCBA, and partners directly involved in the regional forestry-wood industry: Fibois, the CRPF Ile-de-France Centre-Val de Loire and the Unisylva cooperative. It aims to identify, in consultation with the region's forestry companies and managers, innovative and locally relevant solutions to ensure optimal mobilisation of wood resources in response to the growth and diversification of demand and to anticipate the adaptation of stands to climate change.

Videos and productions related to the DEFIFORBOIS project can be found HERE