ProPopulus Team
On March 28, the French company Néosylva — specialized in sustainable forest management, afforestation, reforestation, and carbon valorisation — presented a flagship poplar reforestation project at the Château d’Ussé site, in the heart of the Loire Valley (Indre-et-Loire), a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
During a day bringing together sector companies, technical partners, and forest-wood industry stakeholders, this project showcased the full potential of poplar to develop a local, low-carbon, environmentally friendly forestry economy rooted in the territories.
An exceptional setting with high environmental standards
The Château d’Ussé, famous for having inspired the tale of Sleeping Beauty, is located in a particularly sensitive environment: in a Natura 2000 area, within the Loire-Anjou-Touraine Regional Natural Park, and in immediate proximity to a historic monument. In this context, the owner entrusted Néosylva with the management of around one hundred hectares of former agricultural land, over 50 of which will be reforested with poplars.
The complexity of the project lay not in its size, but in the diversity of ecological and regulatory challenges. Thanks to a rigorous technical strategy and close collaboration with the local forest manager, the project was able to materialize under optimal conditions.
Ecological assessment and collaborative approach
In close collaboration with Amaury Pithois from the Forest Expertise Office of Touraine, an in-depth study made it possible to:
- Identify ecological issues (riparian forests, hedgerows, biodiversity),
- Integrate the expectations of public authorities,
- Include ecological restoration work,
- Add value to the project through carbon labeling,
- Eventually, produce high-quality timber.
Adapted forestry and committed local companies
The work was entrusted to three experienced local companies, ensuring careful execution, appropriate presence on site, and rigorous maintenance.
Five poplar cultivars were selected for their suitability to the soil and their complementary health characteristics: Diva, I-45/51, Tucano, Vesten, and AF8. The plantation, carried out at a density of 156 trees per hectare (8 x 8 m grid), was done by cuttings planted directly into the ground.
The project also incorporates several ecological precautions, such as maintaining a 10-meter strip along the riverbank to encourage natural development of riparian forests, and the voluntary omission of wildlife protection measures. This calculated decision allows for budget reallocation toward potential replanting in case of damage, without additional cost.
A risk-free model for the landowner
The project is fully financed by Néosylva, amounting to approximately €370,000. It allows the owner to benefit from forest income in the long term, without upfront investment, without operational risk, and without management constraints.
Key figures:
- Ditches and watercourses: 13.8 km
- Rows to be created: 5.3 km
- Pond: 2,200 m²
- Preserved hedgerows: 12.6 km
- Remarkable trees: 6
- Zoning: UNESCO – Natura 2000
- Number of plants: 7,865
- Cultivars: 5
- Companies involved: 3 forestry contractors (ETF)
- Forest manager: Forestière de Touraine
Revitalizing poplar plantations to serve the territories
This project exemplifies Néosylva’s approach: supporting private landowners — even on underutilized or heavily regulated lands — by offering them a turnkey model that includes diagnostics, financing, operations, and maintenance.
It is also an opportunity for forestry companies to offer their clients a reliable partner, capable of securing and financing long-term projects. For the forest-wood sector, it is a concrete way to renew French poplar plantations by promoting a useful, fast-growing, and renewable species, in service of biodiversity, the local economy, and the climate.
Learn more at: www.neosylva.fr