-
Occitanie copper phase-out ramps up – how it will affect residents
There are some simple steps you can take to prepare for the switchoff
-
Which cars are stolen the most in France and why?
Perhaps surprisingly, the higher-end vehicles are not the most targeted
-
Several wolf sightings in centre of Frejus, Var
Rules have been relaxed around shooting wolves that threaten livestock
France’s forest cover doubles but faces new threats
France has doubled its forested area in the last 200 years but still faces problems of loss of biodiversity because of global warming and monoculture.
There was 8.5million hectares of forest in 1830, the Institut National de l’Information Géographique et Forestière said – and 17million hectares today, says the Office National des Forêts.
This is due to changes in farm practices and reforesting projects launched after the war.Forests are 67% broadleaf, 21% conifer, and 12% mixed.
France has the third largest cover in Europe after Germany and Sweden, yet still imports more than it produces.
Numbers of plants, animals and insects have fallen, as 83% of forests have only two varieties of trees, and researchers say industrial clear-felling is creating problems with flooding while climate change is bringing in new parasites.
