Pontvallain forest

Discover our Pontvallain forest in Sarthe, France, the work do there and the trees you can buy

About Pontvallain forest

Our forest takes its roots in the Pontvallain municipality in France, famous for its feudal remains. This forest of young trees is established not far from the Notre-Dame de la Faigne chapel, a very old place of pilgrimage built on the site of a tree that received several Marian apparitions
. The village bears the name of a victory of the French army dating back to the Hundred Years' War. At the intersection of history, nature and spirituality, it is in this fertile soil that the chestnut and pine trees of the Pontvallain grow, with an average rainfall of around 700 mm/year, suitable for these species. Part of the forest is classified as a Natura 2000 site (habitat directive) and a small plot is designated as a ZNIEFF type II.

Key information

Project start date: Apr 3, 2017

Certification: PEFC

Land area: 7 ha

Social action: Beehives cared for by workers with disabilities (O3 agri)

Biodiversity features: 20 beehives - heritage bird species: willow warbler, European turtle dove, goldcrest - Natura 2000 site - ZNIEFF (type II) - den trees

Temporarily closed to the public, the reopening is scheduled on 01/04

EcoTree’s initiatives

The sustainable management we carry out in the Pontvallain forest has led us to carry out several thinning operations in the maritime pine and Corsican pine stands. The next thinning of Corsican pines will take place in 2027 or 2028. The young plantation is developing harmoniously and has not suffered too much from the drought in 2022. In the chestnut coppice, there are plans to open a corridor that could be of ornithological interest. Chiropterans could also use these spaces as hunting corridors.

Our trees available for purchase

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There are currently no trees for sale in this forest.

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EcoTree’s actions for biodiversity

In 2022, we conducted an Index of Potential Biodiversity (IBP) and an ornithological inventory in this forest. Given that we are in a Natura 2000 site, which aims to protect habitats, and that we have identified a number of heritage bird species, we have initiated a process to preserve den trees.
Our objective is to create an ecological continuum: islands, den trees and a pond to help support the development of populations of wild pollinators, chiropterans, avifauna (local birds), amphibians, odonates, mosses, and more.
That's why we also plan to create a pond, install nesting boxes and habitats for wild pollinators. We intend to get the Wildlife Estates label for this forest.