True allies to both the land and biodiversity, rural trees line and shape the French landscape. In an effort to replant the French countryside with trees and hedgerows, which have been unscrupulously cut down since land consolidation, Afac-Agroforesteries has created the "Fonds pour l'Arbre" tree fund, with the Maisons du Monde Foundation as one of its main benefactors. From 24 August 2020, 100% of the micro-donations made through ARRONDI en caisse (a scheme for donating roundups at the checkout) will go to the association.
En bocage, à la lisière des champs… Les arbres et les haies champêtres constituent de formidables corridors écologiques, servant de barrières naturelles à l’érosion des sols ou encore de lieux de refuge aux oiseaux, insectes et petits mammifères. Véritables alliées pour la lutte contre le changement climatique, 70 % des haies ont pourtant disparu sous la pression d’une agriculture intensive en France depuis 1950. Aujourd’hui encore, nous perdons 11 500 km de haies chaque année !
Un Fonds pour l’Arbre, pourquoi ?
In hedged farmland, on field borders, rural trees and hedgerows serve as formidable wildlife corridors, acting as natural barriers to soil erosion and places of refuge for birds, insects and small mammals. Despite being true allies in the fight against climate change, 70% of hedgerows have disappeared under the pressure of intensive farming in France since 1950. Even now, we are losing 11,500 km of hedgerow every year!
But why a tree fund?
Afac-Agroforesteries created the Fonds pour l'Arbre tree fund to reverse this trend by helping to plant rural trees and hedgerows. The fund will do this by collecting donations from benefactors like the Maisons du Monde Foundation, and then redistributing these funds to qualified field operators throughout France to plant hundreds of thousands of trees every year. Farmers, local authorities, nursery owners, researchers and others are all joining forces to get rural trees planted — they really are an ally for the future of our land and biodiversity!
