 Main
theme of the Alpilles Mountains Public Authority:
integrated strategies for the prevention
of wildfire and the post- wildfire restoration
of burnt-out areas in the Alpilles.
Dealing with dense pine forest in
scattered private holdings throughout
the Alpilles
This action consists of carrying out concerted
operations treating grouped plots owned
by several landowners to prevent forest
wildfire. The interventions will result
in thinning in the pine forests, followed
by clearance of undergrowth in critical
sectors, and in raising the awareness
of landowners which is still lacking in
this highly threatened area.
Why should local
and regional government councils tackle
this problem?
New priorities for the PIDAF (rural
district land clearing and development
plan)
The problem of these dense pine forests
located close to built-up areas on the
edges of hill country was clearly stated
in the first PIDAF. It is especially serious
in the foothills to the north, in three
localities: Saint-Etienne du Grès,
Saint-Rémy de Provence and Orgon.
The action programmed and carried out
under the auspices of the PIDAF gives
priority to infrastructure such as tracks
(interconnections) and access to water
sources. Now, since the threat from wildfire
remains high, it would appear vital to
devote time and effort to intervention
in the pinewoods in order to reduce the
fuel reserves.
At the same time, certain parts of the
Natura 2000 provisions concerning wildlife
should be kept in mind because a part
of the area is organised for hunting.
A two-fold challenge of wider importance
The challenge this problem represents
involves not only limiting wildfire; there
is also a broader social aspect: the northern
foothills form the main zone of tree-covered
land in the Alpilles Mountains and as
such constitute their stock of «green»
capital.
This area is frequented by the local
population swollen, in the high season,
by quite a number of tourists. From the
image point of view, it is important to
maintain the area’s tree-covered
profile.
These two aspects are both of undeniable
general significance. Move, they are implications
for natural heritage since work to be
carried out should further the rehabilitation
and the maintenance of the natural habitats
and species (strong link with the issues
involved in the Natura 2000 document).
What, however, about private land?
The private holdings involved are small
in size. Somehow, a form of umbrella representation
needs to be devised for concerted action.
Improved care for such woodlands will
give rise to refuse brush that, in the
light of current concern, will have to
be eliminated by flaying. Though public
funding will be necessary to cover the
costs, this does not preclude a contribution
from landowners if some return can be
had from the sale of wood.
Our proposal: thin out the pine stands
and slash the brush in strategic sectors
with limited costs
The Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur
CRPF (the regional private forest landowners
association), on the basis of its work
on 400 hectares in the Bouches-du-Rhône
département, considers the following
points to be realistic:
Initiative and follow-through
Such a scheme will require hiring each
year a project supervisor for thirty days
and site foremen for five days to carry
out the following tasks:
Lead-in stage: reconnaissance, concertation,
feasibility:
- Contacting elected representatives,
forestry and wood industry professionals,
the DDAF (the Département’s
agricultural and forestry administration),
the National Forestry Service, fire
brigades, the hunting fraternity,
associations.
- Reconnaissance, brief landholding
study, drafting land improvement guidelines
taking into account stands, access
and the various constraints.
- Proposal of a scenario for a first
intervention acceptable to all those
cited above.
- Estimate of costs and drawing up
the budget plan (work to be done,
grants).
- Clear statement of the proposal
to be submitted to all the owners.
Effective contact and pursuasion stage:
- Detailed landholding study and updating
of ownership records.
- Drafting the detailed proposal to
be submitted to owners from whom a
power of attorney will be required
for negotiations with the funders.
- Telephoned reminders, appointments,
meetings and assembling powers of
attorney.
Result: a "turnkey" project
ready for carrying out: submission to
the funders for the practical application
stage of a "turnkey" scheme.
How can local
and regional authorities intervene?
Signing a formal agreement
As a way of overcoming the difficulty
deriving from the multiplicity of landholders,
the Provence Forêt Cooperative will
function as the sole authorised agent
for the sale of wood. It will also assemble
the agreements from the owners concerning
the payment of the income from the sale
of the wood and also the eventual carrying
out of clearing activity on their land.
Therefore, it is necessary to envisage
a tripartite agreement between the local
government council who is funding, the
landowners and the Provence Forêt
Cooperative.
By such an agreement, the owners delegate:
- To the Provence Forêt Cooperative
the marking for thinning and the sale
of the wood;
- To the same Cooperative the disposal
of the income from the sale of the
wood;
- To the public authority via its
delegated representative the flaying
of the brush from the felling.
All those involved must derive some
advantage:
- The owners have their maintenance
work done without cost since the income
from the wood defrays the cost of
flaying refuse brush.
- The funders (local authorities)
underwrite an operation carried out
in the interests of the general public.
Carrying out the operation
Once funding has been obtained, the scenario
will run as follows:
Contacting
the landowners
This will be done
by the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur
CRPF (the regional private forest landowners
association) in accordance with the terms
of its brief.
Thinning
out the pine forest
The felling contract will be given to
a professional logging company through
the agency of the Provence Forêt
Cooperative (by public offer or by agreement).
The Cooperative will carry out cull marking
(whose cost will be taken into account
by the funding authority and born by this
authority), the on-site monitoring and
ensure the sale of the wood. The thinning
operation will cull between 20-40 m3/hectare
and bring a return of 122-304 Euros/hectare
(4.6-7.6 Euros/m3 on the basis of 2003
rates). This income will represent the
owners’ contribution made to help
offset the overheads met by the local
authorities in the self-financing scheme.
Cull marking will be done tree by tree
by technicians who, in this way, will
familiarise themselves with the plots
to be treated. They will retain the
finest pines throughout the plots and
clear around any promising oak trees.
The owners will be present and involved
during this activity as a way of encouraging
their participation in the scheme: marking
is, without doubt, an aspect that can
facilitate obtaining the owners’
agreement.
Flaying refuse
and undergrowth after the cull
Clearing up by flaying the refuse will
be carried out after the cull by a competent
company. A site manager appointed by the
local authority will supervise the operation
which will be limited to the mechanical
flaying of the refuse from thinning along
with the shrub undergrowth. Treatment
will be avoided in certain areas presenting
problems of access and which, in terms
of fire prevention, are not classified
as priority zones for reasons related
to hunting or ecology. In this way significant
economy will be made.
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