Nov

First MigFoRest trees have been planted

This November 4 was a joyful symbolic day for the MigFoRest project. The first trees have been planted in Maillen, in the Condroz area in Wallonia (Belgium).

The Royal Forestry Society of Belgium (SRFB), as lead partner of the project, coordinated the planting of 50 seedlings, in 2 cells (klumps) of 25 trees.

Around 600 trees will be planted this year in Wallonia, in the 2 pilot territories that have been identified, namely Condroz and Ardenne méridionale. The first species to be planted are the zean oak (Quercus canariensis, provenance from Andalusia) and the Pyrenean oak (Quercus pyrenaica, provenance from South-West of France).

This milestone is the starting signal for broader assisted migration plantings with the different project partners in France, Germany and Belgium, from next year. Let us remind that MigFoRest will plant at least 100,000 trees in identified pilot territories.

Enrichment cells

This first planting was an opportunity to organise a study day focusing on the cell planting method. Project members who were not yet familiar with enrichment cells in a gap were able to see the practice and learn from other, older cell plantings. Visits to cells in the Soignes forest (Brussels) and elsewhere in the Condroz region, mixed with natural regeneration, were part of the programme. The Belgian, French and German partners in the project spent a very instructive day in the field.