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COMPANY HISTORY
The Forestry Company was created in 1986 through the initiative of Léo Clop and Amé Chevassus, two previous workers at the National Forestry Office specialised in the prevention of forest fires. Initial activities were concentrated on forestry work and silviculture: clearing, improvement of forest stand, reforestation and planting, and silvicultural operations. Diversification began progressively from the 90s comprising:
• initially the pruning and care of trees,
• followed by the fight against erosion, plant engineering, development and maintenance of river banks.
This diversification continues today with the fight against the pollution of water, the management of catchment areas and water gardens as well as other innovating projects under study.
Initially located in the Vaucluse, the company now spreads to the regions of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Languedoc-Roussillon and Rhône-Alpes, operating from its premises in the Var and Bouches-du-Rhône.
Since 1986
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TREES
Tree care and pruning
Indispensable but fragile, trees are an inherent part of our heritage. Their protection and development today are of considerable importance. Our expertise and experience are equipped to respond to this task.
Techniques used:
• moderate pruning of rowed trees, felling of awkward trees, phytosanitary treatment (curative and preventive), delicate felling operations, guying, stump extraction, etc.
Do your trees need pruning?
Radical pruning of trees can be detrimental for the plant. However, it is sometimes necessary to prune for reasons of safety, aesthetics or sanitary.
What is the risk of tree falling?
Felling of trees with high risk is performed by highly qualified staff. Techniques include the use of innovative equipment (winches, pulleys, safety ropes, etc.) which serve to operate in complete safety on all trees including those inaccessible by basket.
Are your trees sick?
The use of phytosanitary treatment is only justifiable after a specialised diagnosis. A number of outside factors could be responsible: pollution, climate, etc. In the event of parasitic attacks a controlled application of fungicide (fungus) or insecticide (insects) may be used. We are certified by the Ministry of Agriculture (agreement no. PA00046) to apply and distribute antiparasitic products for agricultural usage.
Hedge trimming
From an economic and health point of view hedge upkeep is preferable every year in comparison to major but irregular trimming, especially for softwoods (thuja, cypress, etc.).
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FORESTS
Silviculture and forest protection against fire
A mythical area, source of income and employment, place of relaxation and leisure, but submitted to the pressure of the public, attacks of pollution or fire. The forest needs man to protect and develop it. This is our vocation.
Techniques used:
• Forest protection against fire: creation and maintenance of fire walls, safety paths, safety areas, ground clearing, installation of barriers and water tanks, compliance with DFCI (Forest Protection Against Fires) forest path standards, production of windrow and crushing of slash.
• Afforestation and upkeep of afforestation: opening of a subsoil, forestry auger, bare root and fibre pot planting, hoeing, clearing and watering of plants, shaping, installation of protection sleeves, mulching, staking, antiparasitic treatment (weevil, processionary caterpillars, etc.).
• Improvement of forest stand: respacing, thinning, cleaning, pruning, crushing of slash, curative and preventive phytosanitary treatment, ratooning of coppice.
• Forestry operations: felling, hauling, ridging, tree processing, stacking of wood in cubic metres, windrow and crushing of slash
• Research and marking of areas: forestry demarcation and boundary marking, topographic surveys, raising of electric lines, creation of tracks, installation of markers.
The core of our trade.
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GARDENS
For many years we have nurtured a project to have our countryside, our know-how and the values of our foresters within a garden; to create gardens that are wilder, closer to nature, more authentic, with the shapes and colours, fruits and symbols of the Mediterranean, a region whose richness and diversity are all too often ignored. Gardens with a stream, a pond and natural pools that give due respect to water, something that has become so rare and precious, filtered ecologically through the permanent association with adapted aquatic plants. Seeding natural rustic meadows designed from a sophisticated mixture of local varieties requiring little water. Gardens that integrate wood, stone and all natural and noble materials in abundance.
Techniques used:
• Aquatic creations (natural pools and ponds, fountains, streams and water falls)
• Installation of wooden garden furniture (using oven dried wood from local species1), for terraces, children’s’ playgrounds, walkways and pontoons, sheds, fencing, stairways and paving in association with Atmana.fr
• Creation of pathways and tracks (calades, stabilised sand, wooden paving, etc.)
• Installation of gabions, vegetated or other, putting in place of vegetated caissons and beds of cuttings
• Creation of dry masonry terraces, hydroseeding of embankments and steep slope areas
• All classical garden layouts (plantations, all plant sizes, automatic watering systems, grass, etc.)
1 Drying wood by oven produces a classification 4 wood, which is guaranteed for 10 years. This wood is weather resistant without the use of chemical products. The advantage of this drying process is that the wood retains its natural colours and that it can be applied to a wide range of species.
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RIVERS
Management and maintenance of rivers
Watercourses are an essential part of our countryside. They are also ecosystems where vegetation plays a significant role. Management of the riverain is vital for the efficiency of these ecosystems and the watercourse flow. We are developing techniques for the upkeep of watercourses and stabilization of river banks respecting all concerns.
Techniques used:
• Restoration and upkeep of the riverain
• Reinforcement of riverbanks using civil engineering and mixed techniques, torrent rectification, (metal banks, meshed banks) installation of gabions, reno matelas, wooden stakes, riprap, wooden dams, etc.
• Reinforcement of riverbanks using plant engineering, willow fascine, helophyte fascine, layers of branches, propagation by cuttings, installation of biodegradable lattices, manual and hydraulic sowing, vegetated caissons, etc.
PLANT ENGINEERING
"Plant techniques culminate in projects which respond to demanding technical and mechanical criteria, where living materials (stakes, long branches, cuttings, small branches, helophyte plant turf, shrub, tree and seed plants, etc.) are used as the basis for construction. This involves the assembly and fixing of these materials to the ground (e.g. along the bank of a watercourse) with original products and different qualities (tree trunks, geotextiles made of natural fibres such as jute or coconut matting, etc.) to produce a compact and consistent living protection efficient against erosion, and this from the moment of completion."
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NATURAL POOLS
Creation of ponds and aquatic gardens
The installation of a pool, a small pond, a basin or a stream embellishes the garden and inspires peace and serenity through its freshness and murmur. Our knowledge of aquatic ecosystems permits us to propose many sorts of pool layouts and scenery for which each case is studied individually.
Limits to the logic of disinfection are related essentially to the development of algal and bacterial stock resistant to chemical products, which lead to a permanent “escalation” of product use. The accumulation of organic matter in water also presents a certain number of risks. Conversely, ecological treatment is based on the recycling of these organic matters. Water quality, ecology and maintenance costs, etc. this “living” logic promotes a new physical and environmental approach to a pool.
Fields of action
• Transformation or conversion of existing pools using classical chemical products (chlorine, bromine) to natural pools.
• Achievement of natural bathing pools.
• Recovery and storage of rain water.
• Achievement of private or collective filtering stations on planted aquatic warbler beds.
• Ornamental lakes, water falls, watercourses, etc.
A natural everyday pool
• Real integration with the landscape (visual of course but also, and especially “physico-chemical”).
• No use of chemical products (chlorine, bromine)
• Well being: water that makes us feel good (very rich in negative ions, revitalizing).
Water, this most precious but most endangered asset has been proclaimed, quite rightly, world heritage. To use it better used and to waste it less and to pollute it no longer is to commit an act for sustainable development, to behave as a respectable resident.
A ray on the pool, a reflection of light, a dragonfly or a frog that drinks in the water without disturbing you, a living aquatic flower, all these are so many real signs of another relationship to water and space.
A desire for nature, gentleness and harmony…
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SPIRIT OF THE COUNTRYSIDE
We enjoy nature, what is more natural? The modern challenges affecting it… affect us. We therefore endorse the development of new responses to the more and more varied needs for our forester culture.
Countryside, a fight against erosion and pollution
Protect natural areas and prevent risks, fight erosion and pollution while developing the countryside at each possible occasion; these are the major challenges of our time. Our revegetation techniques have been designed to be passed on.
Techniques used:
• Development of agro silvo hunting: pastoral enclosure or game, opening of tracks, food patches, planting of fruit trees, olive trees, sowing, truffles
• Environmental ground clearance: develop sensitive sites
• Recreation equipment: creation and upkeep of walking paths, leisure areas, setting up of recreation equipment (benches, tables, games), installation of signs
• Coastline development: stabilization of dunes, protection of shoreline
• Fight against erosion: planting at altitude, restoration of mountain terrain, torrent rectification, installation of fascines and banks, installation of rubble safety nets, installation of geotextile on banks, hydraulic sowing, creation of paths
Fight against water pollution
The natural environment is threatened by the increase in water consumption and the resulting polluted discharge. For the last decade the use of semi-aquatic plants (reeds, bulrush, rush and other varieties) has stood the test of time in the fight against pollution.
Thanks to various partners working together with design offices and nurseries specialised in the production of helophyte and aqua plants we are able to develop innovating treatment techniques:
• Domestic waste water and rain water
• Slurry from waste water treatment plants and certain industrial and mining effluents
• Discharge leaching water and polluted water of agricultural origin.
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THE TEAM
Shared values
The forester works with time and for time. This is what we call long term. The forester inherits work from his predecessors and prepares work for his successors. He thus leaves his mark on the landscape for decades. The profession is difficult, dangerous, and often solitary. The forester is in search of solidarity, conviviality, autonomy, independence, liberty, open space and the respect of both man and nature. The profession is vigorous offering a wide variety of work (a list of more than 220 "know-how" in the company). We enjoy learning, conveying, and sharing our passion.
Lables, agreements and quality
Countryside Qualification, Pruning Qualification (E 141), plant engineering (G710), reforestation (P 3001, P320) agreement of users of phytosanitary products, agreement of the Regional Service for the Protection of Plant Life for the cutting of contaminated plane trees, certification in progress (ISO 9001/2000 and 14001, OHSAS18001).
Description of company equipment
3 x 280hp forester tractors (TRE-EMME hydrostatic), 165 and 117 hp (VALMET), with fixed or mobile hammer crushers, and vertical axle crushers, 1 truck VOLVO FM12 6x4 with hydraulic loader, 30m3 multi-purpose bucket and float trailer, 1 x HITACHI 14 tonne tractor shovel with buckets, BRH and crusher, 2 x remote controlled forestry winches, 1 x 1,200 litre hydro-seeder kit mounted on a 4x4 chassis, 3 branch crushers of 30 to 70 hp.
Legal form and capital
Company with a capital of 180,000 euros.
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