Context

The Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes forest covers nearly 2,5 million ha, about 35% of the regional territory. Half of these forests are composed of softwood or mixed stands, and the other half is composed of hardwood stands. In terms of property, it is private at 79% and public at 21%.

Free-evolution consists in not practicing any act of management or harvesting of wood on a forest stand, in order to allow the natural dynamic of a forest to express. This refers particularly to stages related to the aging of the tree, to the death of certain parts, and to its collapse and complete degradation. An important part of forest biodiversity depends on these different stages. Maintaining dead wood and old trees within an old-growth patch thus aims to better represent all stages of the silvicultural cycle, and to ensure a multifunctional management of our forests, able of responding to both economic and environmental challenges.

A forest in free evolution in naturally adapting to climate change. For example, resilience may emerge within a concrete species that couldl help the forest adapt to climate change. However, free-evolution forests only represent 1% of the total forest area in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region.

The initiative

FRENE means forests naturally evolving, and it is a network composed of public and private forests. The initiative aims at enhancing forest ecosystem services.

For 10 years, public and private forest stakeholders and environmental associations have been contributing to value forest ecosystem services by gathering into an important partnership. FRENE network consists of small islands left to free evolution identified in sustainable forest management papers and integral biological reserves. These islands guarantee a sustainable and multifunctional management of forests by looking forwards to promote a better balance between the economical function of the forest and its ecosystem services.

The implementation of the FRENE network has been reinforced by the signature of a new action program from 2015 to 2020 which extends the collaboration field to the totality of ecosystem services delivered by forests. Moreover, it is enhancing the communication and adhesion to the regional strategy for socio-environmental services provided by forests. There are currently 10 signatories: Centre national de la propriété forestière, Fransylva forestiers privés, Coforêt (coopérative forestière régionale), association régionale des communes forestières, ONF, FRAPNA, LPO, Forêt Sauvage, Préfet de région, Président de Région.

Results, limits and enable factors

Since 2016, concrete results have been observed with the constitution of the vaster basis of old-growth forest and the increase from less than 20000 ha to more than 25000 ha of the total area of forests in free evolution inscribed in the FRENE network. Between 2019 and 2020, 2230 ha were added to the FRENE network which represents an increase of 9%.

This initiative is now involving nearly 350 actors around a climate of collaboration and trust between foresters, public and private owners and NGOs.

Besides, trainings and sensitizations linked to the project are being given and other actions in favor of ecosystem services are being developed. In fact, the initiative includes the definition of particular methods to manage forests, preserving water quality or fighting and adapting to climate change, protecting habitations against rock falls.

However, the installation of the old wood basis is essentially the result of the conviction and goodwill of the foresters and their partners: it is orphan of a proactive public policy in this domain.