This parcel of about 15 hectares is curse

It looks like the basis of an Aztec temple. About a dozen hectares, impressive mass more of 500,000 tonnes of wood. This huge stock, is the company Beynel Manustock, a mill which produces 2 million pallets per year. It is also what remains of part of the trees thrown ashore by the storm Klaus. Everything just two years ago. After the passing of this terrible gust of wind that devastated the forest of the Landes de Gascogne, thus some 8 million tons of wood was stored in Aquitaine. What secure for some time the supply of paper, sawmills and other manufacturers of flooring or paneling for the production of the Aquitaine forest massif. But what happens then Because it replaces not the day to the next more than 200,000 hectares of forest... January 24, 2009, almost a quarter of the massif has been devastated by Klaus. In the space of a few hours, 38 million cubic metres of timber found themselves on the ground. Estimated damage: between 1.3 and 1.7 billion euros. Two years later, they struggle to redress the head... "I not have never seen as demoralized", recognizes Yves Lesgourgues, Director of the Regional Centre of the forest property of Aquitaine.

It is that the storm and the huge supply of wood resulting from hit head-on a market already in Bern... Result of the economic crisis, it has not been possible, this time to sell the surplus on the market of the Spanish construction, which had absorbed much of the timber fell in the storm of 1999. After the passing of Klaus, 28 million cubic metres of timber have usable, which a good third party by the local industry. Another third was exported outside the Aquitaine. The rest, about 8 million tonnes, has therefore been stored. To the emergency State first intervened to assist in clearing tracks, and then accelerate cleaning through plan chablis (wood fell because of the storm or under the weight of the years). But the support of the authorities was not enough. The storm, exacerbated tensions within the sector, by highlighting a number of inequalities. Unlike farmers, foresters, for example, are are not compensated in case of natural disaster - one of their objectives today is to establish a provident fund.

A deep bitterness

With the industrial sector also, resentment is great: beneficiaries of aid for the export and storage, they were able to buy wood for a small price. "The State has funded industry." "Ultimately, it is we who have paid the crisis", creaks Christian Pinaudeau, General Secretary of the Union of foresters of the Southwest (SSSO). Because, of course, prices collapsed. Divided by eight and negotiated 1 or 2 euros per tonne for the pulp and paper; reduced by half for timber, sold less than 20 euros the yard.

Bitterness, finally, on banks, which themselves are not precipitated to help the profession. Created by some foresters to manage their own inventory of wood and to maintain the course, GPBS (grouping of southern wood producers) was not granted expected aid. "The structure had no capital and no experience in the field", justifies an expert. A disappointment as much more severe that, conversely, loans subsidized, helped by the State, were granted by banks to industry as Beynel Manustock or some actors such as the Cafsa, grosse cooperative agricultural and forestry South-Atlantic, who alone has stored 1.8 million tonnes of wood, as it did in 1999.

Insects, "third storm."

In this context for the less complicated, tensions will undoubtedly reappear between the different players in the sector. Because, after an influx of wood, you will have to manage the shortage. The forest of the Landes de Gascogne, which produced 9 million cubic metres per year, is to not offer more than 6 million tomorrow. Consequence of two "storms of the century" in... less of ten years, the volume of timber has been divided by two, according to a study conducted by the public interest grouping Ecofor: 140 million m3 early 1999, 75 million end of 2009. And this, not to mention that the forest called the "third storm": after Klaus, insects - beetles - first attacked en masse to the wood fell to the ground. They take now to Standing trees. "They introduce under the bark and devour the living part of the tree." Little by little, stands out from the bark and the tree dies. This parcel of about 15 hectares is curse. "The only solution is to just shoot", to discourage Bernard Rablade, exempt in Gironde. In the region, it is estimated that this new scourge could cause the loss of 5 to 6 million cubic metres of timber.

The solution would of course be replant. And the State is ready to help. Each hectare cleaned and replanted is funded, on average, at height of 2.575 euros. Displayed aims to replant 160,000 hectares of forest by 2016. Even if, through fertilizers and genetic improvement, today planted pine grow more quickly and are adults to thirty-five years, it will take long to find the level of past production. As, among the thousands of foresters who have only a few dozen hectares, it wondered. The image of Bernard Rablade, owner of 60 hectares, including a good half was ravaged by the storm and beetles: "cash is zero and this activity is not self-financing." Even if we are subsidized for replanting, should invest for maintenance and I don't want to tap into my savings. I am fifty years old, I discuss with my children.

Who wants to move the hand, it must be said that the temptations abound. Because the Landes forest creates new appetites. Wood energy is Government in train of changer. "While in the rest of the France, it is created in a context where resources are underutilized, he here intervenes in the case of failure of the offer that it contributes to worse", said a study by the GIP Ecofor and coordinated by the Economist and specialist in forest Jean-Luc Peyron. Two projects of pellet manufacturing have recently renewed tensions. One of the German company German Pellets, supported by the ICC of Bayonne. And a project in the Landes worn by the young French company EO2. Foresters, who still have the fall of prices across the gorge, enjoy their revenge. "If it will enhance the wood, it is a good thing," welcomes Bernard Rablade. On the public authorities, it remains cautious: "We will give priority to projects to fuel a chain of wood energy in Aquitaine." "Probably not at those who have vocation to export", explains Dominique Schmitt, the prefect of Aquitaine. Same sound of a Bell in the region. "Yes to wood energy, but for local use," said Béatrice Gendreau, regional councillor of Aquitaine in charge of the forest.

But proponents of wood energy are not the only positioning: growing urbanization, agriculture, new infrastructure... Retraining ideas abound. Not to mention the many projects of solar farms: "why all these projects of solar power plants in our region." Simply because the land is available and low-cost. "Consider that an exempt may offer 2,500 euros per hectare for annual rent, either two or three times the price of the land itself", reflects Yves Lesgourgues.

Diversify the species

To survive, the forest will also be wary of itself. Indeed, productivity has dramatically increased, from "6 cubic metres per hectare and per year in the 1970s to double with plants that we use today", welcomed Henry Chaperon, Director of the Cafsa, which argues for a scientific, mechanized and efficient silviculture approach. Scientists however believe that pine monoculture has shown its limits and that we must now vary the species. Including to barriers to the progression of the insect, to better use the resource and feed industrial sectors with trees offering very different cycles. "In 30 years, the Poland or the Germany have well converted their forests by combining different species." "In Aquitaine, even though the maritime pine is best suited, deciduous trees such as black locust, Birch or oak of America grow very well", provides Hervé Jactel, researcher at Inra and specialist health risks in the forest.

Despite the difficulties, some people want to believe that the Landes forest has a future. Jean-Luc Peyron is few. Based on strategic ecosystems "approach considers the value of"forest 5 times that from the single production of wood ". His conclusion "A this level, the forest vocation land better than many other rest." No doubt even for photovoltaic use...