Context

Extreme weather events (drought, heat, storm, hail) make the forest vulnerable. Since 2018, there has been a steady increase in bark beetle damage in the region, as well as the decline of species in certain areas. Climate change is especially relevant in terms of the recurrence of these extreme weather events. The impacts are potentially significant and there are many unforeseen events and uncertainties. This encourages the development of preventive actions and increased surveillance. The choice of species to be favoured or introduced is a key step in the process of adapting forests to climate change.

The initiative

The METIS project is a continuation of the Symbiose project and extends its actions to innovative fields: on the one hand, biological engineering with experimental islands testing species capable to adapt better to climate change; on the other hand, alternative transportation and the use of airships, from the start-up "Flying Whales", is being studied to mobilise wood from isolated areas.
METIS aims to go beyond the usual framework of reflection and action limited to parcels, by adopting a concerted approach on the scale of large massifs.

The project is based on the following six themes:
– Preserving the resource pool and thinking about the forest of tomorrow in the face of current and future challenges related to climate change
– Providing territories with public-private mobilisation documents
– Computerising knowledge of supply and demand to make it more reliable and fluid
– Innovate in mobilisation materials and methodologies
– Encourage the development of innovative soft transport methods
– Coordinate and communicate to duplicate

Results, limits and enable factors

The results of the METIS project concerning the first axis, related to climate change are:
The project developed recommendations and application methods for the adaptation of forests to climate change.

Firstly, an active adaptation strategy is possible through the introduction of new genetic resources.
The 5 recommendations formulated are:
– Diagnosing vulnerability as a first step
– Modify the composition of the stands in a second phase; this requires selecting suitable species, replacing the most vulnerable species and favouring the mixing of species.
– Boosting silviculture
– Limit risks or their impacts
– Monitor the effects of global changes on new stands

A passive adaptation strategy can also be envisaged: Allow the adaptive capacity of the local resource to express itself by encouraging, for example, the exploitation of large and very large wood.