France’s most beautiful trees revealed - is one near you? Three trees were chosen as winners with one going ahead to represent France in the European contest this February
‘Strawberry tree’ helps woods recover after fire, French experts claim Its deep roots allow it to recover quickly after a fire and stop soil erosion
French environment news: tree valuations, wonky veg, pesticides in tea Some towns have put a compensation value on trees in case of damage, misshapen vegetables rejected by supermarkets sold off cheaply and choose your ‘tisane’ wisely
news Bordeaux to have glass and steel Christmas tree instead of ‘dead tree’ The 11-metre high structure will be made of recycled materials and comes after controversy last year when officials announced they were cancelling a traditional tree
Boss of logging firm arrested over theft of 350 trees in Occitanie Police used a geolocation device to track a lorry which had been used to transport the trees, felled at night in a private forest, near the border between France and Spain
Bordeaux: Mayor cancels Christmas trees in city The ecologically-minded mayor will not decorate Bordeaux with “dead trees” this festive season, he has said, claiming they go against his “concept of re-vegetation” for the city.
Help save French forests In Corrèze, an association called Faîte et Racines ( tinyurl.com/vvdlno7 ) is trying to crowd-fund a project to save some hectares of local forest from what it calls “ coupes razes ”, where parcels of land are sold to companies who remove established woodland.
Advice given as olive harvest underway in France Olive harvest season is in full swing in France, with the crop ready to pick at this time of year, and some advice being issued for anyone harvesting now.
French public warned over edible chestnut confusion The French public has been warned not to confuse toxic conkers (“ marrons ”) with edible chestnuts (“ châtaignes ”) - often used for “ marrons glacés ” - as autumn foraging begins.
‘Olive tree killer’ bacteria arrives in France Two olive trees in France have been contaminated with the “olive tree killer” bacteria xylella fastidiosa, which cannot be killed directly, and which has already destroyed more than a million trees in Italy.
France homeowners warned on forest fire land clearing Homeowners in France are reminded that in some regions and for certain properties, it is a legal requirement to carry out a “brush clearing” of surrounding countryside land, to help prevent forest fires.
Harsh French summers may affect future Christmas trees The drought and heat of the summer in France this year and in 2013 may threaten the cost and availability of Christmas trees in Decembers to come, producers have warned.
Homeowners in France warned about overgrown hedges When did you last check your hedges? Homeowners in France are warned that any hedges or trees that impede on public roads or viewpoints may prompt the local Mairie to cut them down, at your own cost.
French agency advice on how to choose a Christmas tree With six million Christmas trees sold in France every year, a French environment agency has issued advice on how to choose the right variety, and how to best look after and recycle your tree. New tree protection scheme launches in Ile-de-France Protection needed for old yew tree Labrador Tag Feed