Rhône-Alpes is the second biggest forest region in France with some 1.54 million hectares of forest covering 35% of its land mass and it is increasing by 7000 Ha every year!
The Rhône-Alpes forest is planted in the plain and, especially on the steep-sloped mountains bordered by the Prealps and Alps in the east to the Jura Mountains in the north and the Massif Central on its western border.
Just over half the forested land is planted with deciduous trees, but conifers account for 60% of the standing volume, primarily the leading species, the Alpine Fir. Rhône-Alpes has several other particularly sought-after species: from the Ardèche Chestnut to the Douglas fir of the Loire and the Rhône. Since 2002, the policy to improve the quality of forest management has borne fruit as in 2006, 22% of forests were PEFC-certified.
Private forests are in the great majority
Private forests account for 75% of wooded land operated by 450 000 forest owners. The State forest accounts for 6% of the forest area and the remaining 19% of the forests are owned by towns and other local authorities.
La forêt rhônalpine est détenue à 37 % par de petits propriétaires privés (< 4ha)
Forestry management that promotes biodiversity
The total volume of standing wood is 235 million m3 with a growth rate of 8 million m3 per annum. In this mountainous region, where 2/3 of the forest area is planted on slopes with a >30% gradient, only 57% of the timber can be harvested. Forest production in the region’s forest area is up to 1 350 000 Ha (88% of forest area of the region) with 4 or more species populating 28% of this area. The volume of dead wood - a key element for the conservation of biological diversity in the forest - is steadily rising in the Rhône-Alpes at the rate of 3.6 m3/ha/per annum (as against the national rate of 1.7 m3/ha/per annum).
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Principales essences de Rhône-Alpes :
The Rhône-Alpes forest, a protected area
The forest is a natural system that helps combat the greenhouse effect by absorbing carbon dioxide. Additionally it is the site for various social activities, an area for nature discovery and offers lessons on looking after nature.
The development of tourist activities in forest and mountain ranges over the past few years, confirms this societal requirement.
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