Some dream of wealth or power. Francis Hallé, for his part, would content himself with bequeathing to future generations a primary forest, a natural carbon sink dotted with majestic multi-hundred-year-old trees and all kinds of animal species. “My students came up with a formula that sums up the issue well: the primary forest is to the normal forest what a great vintage champagne served chilled in a crystal flute is to a soda poured into a plastic cup”, explains with malice the French botanist, 84 years old on the clock.
The northern hemisphere doesn’t have many such places anymore. There remains the Bialowieza massif located between Poland and Belarus. But this place is threatened by a resumption of cuts. “In Siberia and Canada, the remaining primary forests are of little interest: too close to the polar circle, they naturally lack biodiversity. The same species of trees are repeated there tirelessly,” notes Francis Hallé. Hence the idea of sanctuarizing a space of 70,000 hectares straddling France and another European country in which man would not intervene… for several centuries, the time to let nature transform the landscape.
“You have to understand that the forest we will have at the start is not the one that will become primary. In Western Europe, for the moment, we have what are called pioneer trees: birches, elderberries, pines… We will have to wait for this generation to grow old and die, which could take between 50 and 100 years. Just before it disappears, in the shade of the last trunks, new trees, taller and living longer, will appear: lime trees, ash trees… But it’s still not primary forest. It will still be necessary to wait for this second forest to grow and die to see a third wave of even more solid species grow, such as oaks or beeches. At that time, we will approach the goal” explains the scientist who insists on the fact that at no time should man intervene in the process.
Several interested regions
This forest left in free evolution has many advantages. The specimens found there are larger; therefore it captures and stores more carbon dioxide. As there is no exploitation, the dead trees rot on the ground. It then becomes extraordinarily rich, like the biodiversity of the place. “If we stop hunting animals, they come back quickly. We have seen it with the Covid: there is no need to wait several centuries. A few weeks are enough to see a spectacular change happen,” explains Francis Hallé.
The primary forest has many other advantages. His presence causes rain. In fact, the water tables are recharged with pure water, exactly what we need today. “This is explained by the fact that very old trees have a large number of vertical pivots. Hundreds or even thousands under each trunk. This system leads the water directly to the water tables” specifies the scientist. The study of this unique environment would undoubtedly lead to many useful discoveries for humanity. Francis Hallé is already imagining a research center welcoming teams from all over the world as well as paths on stilts or perched in the canopy to accommodate a limited number of tourists on the outskirts of the forest.
It remains to find a place to carry out this unique experience. “We recently drew up a document of several dozen pages in which we present the project in detail and we make proposals. We are also talking to several players interested in the image of the Grand Est region”, underlines Eric Fabre, Secretary General of the Francis Hallé association for the primary forest. “70,000 hectares is the size of an island like Menorca. Don’t tell me it’s too big. If we can’t find a surface of this order, then it’s because we haven’t understood the stakes”, comments Francis Hallé.
The project carried by the scientist is however intended to grow beyond the figures put forward. “My dream would be for it to work and for the general public to quickly take an interest in it. Then other countries would copy us. I note Spain’s position with interest. They basically tell me: if you do it at home, we will do it at home. This strongly encourages us. If the project multiplies in this way, it will effectively become a means of combating climate change”, confides the scientist.
The development of a forest under a bell?
But before getting there, we will have to convince the skeptics. These are more numerous than it seems. Hunters, national parks, sawmills, citizens living in the countryside… All fear the establishment of a forest under cover, synonymous with a loss of freedom and income. Some observers also fear that an untended forest will encourage the appearance of fires, like those which hit the south-west of the country last summer. Francis Hallé refutes the argument. “There is a total lack of information on these fires in Gironde. The problem is not brush in the forest but pine monocultures. And that is a human decision. Planting pine trees is like lining up gas cans next to each other. You shouldn’t be surprised then that it burns a lot”, gets carried away by the scientist who assures: “in any case, nothing will be decided without an impact study and without the opinion of the population”.
In the file submitted to the Grand Est region, the association mentions the establishment of a buffer zone which would adjoin the primary forest and in which certain activities such as hunting or logging would be authorized. A way to ease tension. “This unique project in Europe does not only entail constraints. It can give visibility to territories, bring in brainpower, as well as tourists. However, it is extraordinarily complex, recognizes Franck Leroy, first vice-president of the Grand Est region, in charge of ecological transition.Contrary to popular belief, the Ardennes, which are among the areas targeted for the development of primary forest, do not in any way resemble a desert.There are many villages there. , human activities, people who live off the forest, to such an extent that the impact studies, which must in particular determine the amount of compensation for the injured parties, could take ten years!
Letting the forest grow is also more expensive than it seems. Impossible to find 70,000 hectares in one piece and perfectly free. It will therefore be necessary to acquire the land and provide for the financing of scientific research. “We have drawn up the main lines, it is now the turn of the politicians to take over the file”, judge Francis Hallé, whose gaze is now turned towards Europe. “This is the logical step to finance a project concerning several countries. In addition, it will probably be necessary to invent a special status to be able to protect this forest over time and to be sure that we will not go back to it in several decades or even several centuries”, specifies Franck Leroy. The road will therefore be long before we see a primary forest emerging again in Europe.
But nothing is lost yet. “For the regions concerned, this project is perhaps the only way to respect their commitments in terms of biodiversity, underlines an expert. Many have committed to quantified objectives without knowing how to achieve them. They are experimenting with small projects here and there without any real impact”. The defenders of the primary forest have chosen the right moment to come out of the woods.