A cultivated forest
The Landes forest in Gascony, the largest cultivated forest in Europe, "ecocertified" since June 2002, is a perfect example of the successful coexistence of Man, Nature and Industry.

From an ecological necessity, it has become an economic reality, and is now a part of our natural heritage. Our forest, sustainably managed, provides us with our raw material. We are therefore obliged to respect it.

A little history...
Two thirds of the Landes region, half of Gironde and part of Lot-et-Garonne are covered by forest, essentially composed of maritime pines. Extending over nearly a million hectares, the Landes forest is the largest in Europe. And yet this forest is still relatively young, at hardly 150 years old, and entirely artificial. It occupies what used to be a swampy plain, unfit for habitation, which was used as grazing land.

Drainage and afforestation were undertaken on the initiative of Napoleon III in 1857, acting on an idea by Nicolas Brémontier, who developed a system for preventing the dunes from advancing inland. A Parisian engineer, Jules Chambrelent, decided to reforest the region on a grand scale: he quadrupled the area of the forest. In addition, a decree issued by Napoleon III called for the swamp to be drained and pines to be cultivated exclusively, in order enrich the Aquitaine land and make it exploitable. The pines covered the Landes region little by little.

In those days, resin was harvested from the trees for the production of glue and turpentine. Today, the forest is used solely for timber. This is where the foresters' work begins.
Forestry has become a complex business.
Once the young seedlings have been cultivated in the tree nursey, the forest plot is cleared four or five times. The pines are felled at between 35 and 70 years.
Successful plantation depends on thorough preparation of the soil, and the careful planting of high-quality seedlings.