Demo areas

Aquitaine, France

In Aquitaine, one of the warmest regions in France, pine plantations are endangered by climate-mediated disturbances such as wind, forest fires and pest outbreaks. To increase forest resilience, SUPERB will create a permanent green shield in a pilot landscape of 20.000 ha with a network of 10 km of broadleaved hedges along pine stands, providing habitat for native biodiversity, boosting nature’s own defences against disasters and ensuring broad societal support for restoration. 

Header Demo Areas
Illustration group of trees

About the demo

Our objective is to plant a network of mixed broadleaved hedges along the borders of pine plantations to provide habitats and corridors of dispersal to forest biodiversity, as well as protection against biotic and abiotic pressures.

Numerous important local and regional stakeholders have committed to supporting project activities, including nature conservation NGOs, forest owner associations and others. 

Restoration activities

Advanced monitoring

Planting

Planting

Stakeholder engagement

Stakeholder engagement

Illustration tree

20,000

ha

Area size

Type of restoration:

We will be planting 10km of hedges for restoration purposes in an area of intensive Maritime pine plantations, initiated in the 19th century in former heathlands.

How the demo is now:

The landscape is composed of pure, even-aged plantation forests of maritime pine with intensive management, few remnants of natural and riparian forests and a lack of ancient and old-growth forests. Furthermore, the area was affected by windstorm damage, bark beetle outbreaks and a high occurrence of forest fires.

Restoration vision:

Green barriers will help prevent the spread of climate disturbances, wind damage, fire, and native or exotic pests. One of the goals is to obtain the Low Carbon Label for monospecific plantations that are bordered by multi-species hedges.

Restoration upscaling potential (within and beyond SUPERB):

Similar landscapes (pure pine plantations) extend over approximately 850.000 ha in the same biogeographic zone.

Partners

Resources

Restoration work plan