Ile-de-France foresters are not spared from attacks. This is what the National Forestry Office denounced on Tuesday. According to the NFB, they undergo “daily violence” from “walkers, residents or associations sometimes react violently” against the work of foresters. “It is unfortunately not uncommon for them to suffer criticism, violent insults, even physical attacks.” Acts condemned by the ONF. The Office also recalls that on April 26, the forest-wood sector published a column in “l’Obs” alerting to these attacks which occur everywhere in France (Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes or even New Aquitaine).
88% of respondents say they have already witnessed or been victims of an altercation
Faced with this observation, the Ile-de-France ONF has launched an internal investigation at the end of March with its 230 Ile-de-France forest agents to “qualify and quantify the state of their relations with users of public forests.” 88% of respondents declare having already been witnesses or victims of an altercation in the exercise of their functions, even outside their professional framework. In details :
- 45% experienced verbal rebukes
- 22% have experienced verbal or written insults
- 19% witnessed damage to professional equipment and information furniture
- 10% were physically attacked
Acts that the NFB condemns. The Office would like to point out that “This violence goes against the role of foresters who meet the current expectations of society (ecological, societal, recreational, economic, climatic) while ensuring that this forest heritage is preserved for future generations.”
According to the ONF, Ile-de-France has 50 state forests covering 72,500 hectares, which each year host 80 million visitors.