More than 60,000 trees will be planted in the Pignada forest in Anglet, two years after the pine forest fire

Just over two years later the fire that had ravaged part of the Pignada
the Departmental Council and the Anglet town hall presented the forest reforestation plan on Monday. More than 60,000 trees will be planted in February and March 2023. The 75 hectares devastated in July 2020 will all be reforested, with a large part of maritime pines and cork oaks. “Participatory” plantations with residents and students will also be organized from 25 November.

More cork oaks and much less pines

The new Pignada
is supposed to be more resistant to the risk of fires. For this there will be much more cork oak than hitherto. Their bark protecting them from the fire, the flames spread much less quickly, unlike pine, which is a potential fuel, and which therefore will give up a little more space.

Before the fire, pine represented 95% of the plot, compared to 60% tomorrow. 30% of the trees planted will be cork oaks. This new distribution of species will not prevent the fire, but it could slow it down, and the work of the firefighters will be much simpler. These two species were also selected because they are supposed to be able to adapt to climate change over the next fifty years, explains the National Forestry Office.

A plot devoted to planting by residents and students of English schools

On November 25, residents, elected officials and school students in Anglet will plant 4,800 trees over nearly four hectares, north of the Orok Bat stadium. Firefighters will also be present. “Usually they put out forest fires but this time they will come to participate in its rebirth” assures the mayor of Anglet Claude Olive. In February-March, 55,000 trees will be planted and a follow-up will then be carried out for the next two years. However, it will take 15 to 20 years before discovering the adult face of this forest
.

Last November, during a ceremony the city of Anglet had paid tribute to the “heroes of Pignada”
. Three teams of pilots, canadair mechanics and 26 firefighters received honors from the municipality for responding to the forest fire.

Last summer, two years after the fire that struck the Pignada forest, the mayor of Ansbach twinned with Anglet
went to the burnt forest with Mayor Claude Olive. In all, the inhabitants as well as the mayor himself made it possible to bring together more than €23,500 to replant the Pignada forest (the Ayudam Pignada donation campaign reached 140,000 euros in total).