Replanting a forest.......
REPLANTING
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Initial phase (2022–2023):
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After the tornado and violent storms of June 2022, foresters spent months clearing fallen timber, removing stumps, and grinding debris.
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By summer 2023, replanting began in earnest, with thousands of maritime pine seedlings planted using specialized tools like planting canes.
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In 2022 a violent tornado hit the Fôret de la Double damaging about 20,00O hectares of forest with 8,000 hectares of resinous trees (mostly pine) suffering the worst losses. Many stands were not only blown down but later weakened by disease, making replanting urgent!
Here is a quick look at what happened after that.......
HOW DID THEY START ?
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Priority was given to the original resinous plots, since they were most devastated.
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Some landowners are replanting mixed stands with hardwoods (feuillus) to reduce vulnerability to future storms and pests.
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Forestry cooperatives are supporting owners financially and technically, aiming to rebuild productive forests while improving resilience.
RECOVERY OUTLOOK
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Short term (2023–2025):
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Replanted pines are establishing, though growth is slow in drought‑prone summers.
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Soil stabilization and weed control are critical to ensure survival of seedlings.
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Long term (10–20 years):
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Forests will gradually regain canopy cover, but timber production from pine will take decades to recover.
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Increased emphasis on species diversity may make Dordogne’s forests more resistant to extreme weather events.
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Author's own photographs taken after the devastation to the forest surrounding their home JS
Diversity in Planting - the good news
These species are being added to diversify the forest structure and reduce vulnerability to storms, pests, and fire.
Hardwoods known as feuillus in France include:
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Oak (chêne): Valued for its strength and long-term timber potential.
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Chestnut (châtaignier): Traditional in Dordogne, offering both wood and ecological benefits.
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Birch (bouleau): Fast-growing, helps stabilize soils and create mixed stands.
The replanting program aims to rebuild production forests while restoring ecological balance. Owners are encouraged by forestry cooperatives (like Alliance Forêts Bois) to adopt mixed planting schemes. Over the next 10–20 years, the Double should regain canopy cover with a more varied and climate-resilient forest.
HOW TO SPOT THEM They have plastic collars to stop the deer eating the bark!
Gardens to visit in france
This website provides not only links to gardens to visit in our area, but around France by region.
SUPER
SURVIVORS
These four plants in my garden were dried out sticks until the first September rains.
Then they sprang back to life and are covered with grateful bees.
Well worth planting in many areas where one has poor soil and little water.
JS
AUGUST beauty on the roadside
COMMON CHICORY (Cichorium intybus) is a somewhat woody, perennial herbaceous plant of the family Asteraceae, usually with bright blue flowers, rarely white or pink. Chicory grows in roadsides, waste places, and other disturbed areas, and can survive in lawns due to its ability to resprout from its low basal rosette of leaves. It typically does not enter undisturbed natural areas.
Chicory is classified as a drought tolerant plant and preferring limestone soils, but tolerating an array of conditions. Bees, butterflies, and flies feed upon it. The entire plant is edible.
For the FULL STORY of its use in wartime coffee and so much more on this useful plant just click here and open a .pdf
SUPERB SALVIAS
The variety is endless, cuttings almost impossible to kill and of course, the small bees, humming bird hawk moths love them. The most shrublike is 'Hot Lips' and there are a variety of trailing blues and purples available in our nurseries.
Our May/June gardens have bloomed in a riot of colour from day lilies to salvias, all able to take the hotter days and already long periods between good rains.
Our Facebook page is full of photos from members' gardens, great gardening notes and much more.
If you have not yet joined do contact Carolyn through the IGC email address.
Vegetable Companions
Discussed at the recent Vegetable Group Meeting - this list is useful as an easy reference. Extract from the book
‘The Organic Gardener’.
Click the PDF to open
Take care - Wood spurges
​Two members have now suffered eye problems from skin contact with these common field plants.
It does pop up in your gardens and although attractive, is extremely toxic.
Please be aware, even wearing gloves, and especially strimming areas with long grass, that the sap can splash onto arms etc.
Wash but also immediately visit a pharmacy who will assist you with special eye drops to prevent pain if you show symptoms.
Tried and tested
Here are four online sites where you may order those special plants unavailable in our local nurseries
PROMESSE DE FLEURS
https://www.promessedefleurs.com/
Comment : good for everything, with an enormous range of all plants.
Buying bigger sizes with them pays off - 9cm plants (godet size)
are sometimes disappointing.
LE JARDIN DU PICVERT
https://www.jardindupicvert.com/
Comment: Good for variety and unusual varieties
A L'OMBRE DES FIGUIERS
https://www.achat-vente-palmiers.com/en/
Comment: Many varieties of palms and bananas.
BARNHAVEN
Great variety of primulas, primroses in colours, hellebores etc
Looking for special
Spring and Summer plants?
Caroline Wright has presented two talks to IGC.
Their website provides lists of available plants grown in their nursery. They also specialise in SALVIAS that thrive in our hot, dry summers in
a range of colours for garden or pots.
Please click this link ~​​
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