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Semeurs de Forêts
Sanctuarized forest oases
BiodiversityNormandie
With 3 €,
Semeurs de Forêts finances:
1 m² of sanctuary and reforested land
8,379 €18,000 €
467 Captains
Challenge
Climate disruption and the collapse of biodiversity are the greatest challenges we face today. Unfortunately, French forests are struggling to meet these challenges. They are often poor in biodiversity (4 species or less for 94% of them). Transformed since the Middle Ages for timber production, they are managed with this objective in mind, and are not true refuges for wildlife. They store little carbon, since intensive forestry operations release the carbon stored in the soil.
Solution
With this project, and others like it being carried out in several regions of France, Semeurs de Forêts aims to recreate forest oases where flora and fauna can flourish undisturbed, keeping human intervention to a minimum. Once the land has been purchased, volunteers reintroduce local biodiversity by planting several thousand trees. The land is then left to evolve freely. The purchase of land by Semeurs de Forêts ensures the greatest possible protection of these sites.


Recent result
To date, Semeurs de Forêts has already acquired three plots of land in different departments (Oise, Vienne and Eure), for a total area of almost 14 hectares. Planting operations have already taken place, and nearly 5,000 trees have already been planted by more than a hundred volunteers on all the plots.
The money will be used for
The funds will be used to finance the purchase of the land, as well as the planting operations, which require the purchase of tree seedlings, protection, mulching, stakes and equipment. The sooner the funding is raised, the sooner the association will be able to launch other similar operations throughout France.
Goal
The €20,000 from this project will finance the entire plantation as well as part of the purchase.
11 Rue Portal, 95880 Enghien-les-Bains, France
Buying land, protecting it and creating forests
Semeurs de forêts is taking action against global warming and the collapse of biodiversity, by purchasing land in France to plant forests rich in biodiversity, from shrubs to canopy trees, and protecting them entirely from human activity. The dozens of species planted are carefully selected to be adapted to each site and native to the region. They are then left to evolve freely, undisturbed, to serve as an oasis for flora and fauna, free from any human intervention.
His aim is to multiply these projects all over France, and to support people wishing to reproduce the same thing close to home.
Together, we can really make an impact, all over France !
His aim is to multiply these projects all over France, and to support people wishing to reproduce the same thing close to home.
Together, we can really make an impact, all over France !


Publication of an article in the newspaper Le Monde
We have signed a tribune at the initiative of the association Canopée published in the October 20, 2023 edition of the newspaper "Le Monde".
Along with more than 600 scientists, players in the forest-wood industry, association leaders and local elected officials, we are calling on the government regarding its forestry policy, which should build on existing ecosystems rather than raze and replant.
The text of the tribune and the list of signatories is to be found here.
Along with more than 600 scientists, players in the forest-wood industry, association leaders and local elected officials, we are calling on the government regarding its forestry policy, which should build on existing ecosystems rather than raze and replant.
The text of the tribune and the list of signatories is to be found here.
Video news from one of our grounds
We were at the Juvignies field in the Oise region this weekend to carry out some maintenance.
I took the opportunity to make a little video to show you what our plantations look like.
Sorry for the backlight :-/
I took the opportunity to make a little video to show you what our plantations look like.
Sorry for the backlight :-/

Two new forests in the pipeline
This summer, we launched the acquisition of two new plots of land in France, totalling almost 13 hectares. Located in the Charentes and Maine et Loire departments, and supported by motivated volunteers, we should own them this year and begin planting operations early next year.
Funding for these purchases and plantings is provided by our partners like Captain Cause, and by a participatory funding campaign.
In total, the association will own 28 hectares of land in 6 different French departments by the end of 2023!
Thank you all for your support!
Funding for these purchases and plantings is provided by our partners like Captain Cause, and by a participatory funding campaign.
In total, the association will own 28 hectares of land in 6 different French departments by the end of 2023!
Thank you all for your support!

A nice interview on France Culture
We were lucky enough to be interviewed in April by radio journalist Élise Andrieu for France Culture's "Les Pieds sur terre" magazine. Florence Massin talked about the association's beginnings and how we came to create "Semeurs de Forêts" in January 2019. We hope you enjoy listening.
▶️ Listen (28 min)
▶️ Listen (28 min)

A book for creating new forests!
"Semeurs de Forêts, Créer des forêts sanctuaires" by Florence Massin from Editions Eyrolles: finally a book to learn how to sow forests!
"If nobody can act from above, then maybe we can do it from below. It was time to stop remaking the world from our couch, and take action. Four months later, Semeurs de Forêts was born."
Time is running out. Faced with the collapse of biodiversity, climate change and its trail of bad news and eco-anxiety, Florence Massin and David Buffault have decided to react. To ensure a future full of life for their children, they thus created Semeurs de Forêts in January 2019. The association buys land and sanctuaries it, planting forests (but also letting meadows and wetlands evolve without human constraint...) rich in biodiversity. It also aims to share its knowledge and support those who would like to follow a similar path, which has now materialized with the release of the book "Semeurs de Forêts, Créer des forêts sanctuaires".
A veritable practical guide for everyone, the book gives the steps to follow to create a forest, hedgerows or copses, as well as simple advice and feedback. With one conviction: whether you plant one tree or twenty thousand, whether you protect one square meter of land or thousands of hectares, it all starts with a first step, then a second, a third... It's an extraordinary collective, human and civic adventure. It will help you grow and give you a new perspective on the world around you. Through this unique and necessary book, Florence Massin launches a vibrant appeal to restore our link with nature, and to recreate a new relationship with living beings.
"If a movement grows, if everyone starts planting trees, preserving them, watching wasteland and weeds colonize our streets, taking care of the soil and its microfauna, restoring what has been destroyed, then a civic change will already be here. We all have the power to act and the opportunity to use it."
- Florence Massin, "Semeurs de Forêts, créer des forêts sanctuaires", Éditions Eyrolles.
Time is running out. Faced with the collapse of biodiversity, climate change and its trail of bad news and eco-anxiety, Florence Massin and David Buffault have decided to react. To ensure a future full of life for their children, they thus created Semeurs de Forêts in January 2019. The association buys land and sanctuaries it, planting forests (but also letting meadows and wetlands evolve without human constraint...) rich in biodiversity. It also aims to share its knowledge and support those who would like to follow a similar path, which has now materialized with the release of the book "Semeurs de Forêts, Créer des forêts sanctuaires".
A veritable practical guide for everyone, the book gives the steps to follow to create a forest, hedgerows or copses, as well as simple advice and feedback. With one conviction: whether you plant one tree or twenty thousand, whether you protect one square meter of land or thousands of hectares, it all starts with a first step, then a second, a third... It's an extraordinary collective, human and civic adventure. It will help you grow and give you a new perspective on the world around you. Through this unique and necessary book, Florence Massin launches a vibrant appeal to restore our link with nature, and to recreate a new relationship with living beings.
"If a movement grows, if everyone starts planting trees, preserving them, watching wasteland and weeds colonize our streets, taking care of the soil and its microfauna, restoring what has been destroyed, then a civic change will already be here. We all have the power to act and the opportunity to use it."
- Florence Massin, "Semeurs de Forêts, créer des forêts sanctuaires", Éditions Eyrolles.

First planting operation completed
📢 We've started planting operations for the forest 🌳 on our land in the Eure.
📅 On March 7 and 9, we invited all people of goodwill to our land in Château-sur-Epte in the Eure to start operations to create our new sanctuary forest!
On the program:
➡ on Thursday, preparation for planting with establishment of the planting grid and augering of holes
➡ on Saturday, planting of large hedges around the perimeter of the plot to act as windbreaks, reintroduce biodiversity and raise awareness of environmental preservation.
32 people attended the event and the weather was fine ☀ . We were able to complete this operation in much less time than planned, thanks to everyone's mobilization!
🌳 🌳 🌳 In the end: 500 trees planted in one day! 🌳 🌳 🌳
📅 On March 7 and 9, we invited all people of goodwill to our land in Château-sur-Epte in the Eure to start operations to create our new sanctuary forest!
On the program:
➡ on Thursday, preparation for planting with establishment of the planting grid and augering of holes
➡ on Saturday, planting of large hedges around the perimeter of the plot to act as windbreaks, reintroduce biodiversity and raise awareness of environmental preservation.
32 people attended the event and the weather was fine ☀ . We were able to complete this operation in much less time than planned, thanks to everyone's mobilization!
🌳 🌳 🌳 In the end: 500 trees planted in one day! 🌳 🌳 🌳

What a year 2022!
👨👩👦👦 Partnerships that continue to diversify: Culture (Humana Project, Cabaret Solidaire, ...), skills sponsorship scheme, solidarity trade, 1% for the Planet France scheme, new initiatives (thanks Captain Cause!), we can't believe it!
💶 A giant leap in our funding with +79% compared to 2021, which had already seen a nice increase vs 2020 thanks to the efforts of the growing communications team
🌍 3 plots of land purchased for a total of nearly 14Has
🌳 4900 trees planted approximately with a very nice survival proportion over the year thanks to maintenance and watering sessions (especially during the summer), and of course a great diversity of species (42 planted in total)
💪 140 essential volunteers were mobilized during the year to accompany our plantations and make our action possible
👨🎓 7 actions carried out in schools close to our projects
Our action continues in 2023! Starting in March, we'll be back in the field for our new project in Chateau-sur-Epte (27), with lots more in the pipeline (publication of a book, other acquisition projects in the pipeline, ...). We won't tell you everything just yet! 😀
💶 A giant leap in our funding with +79% compared to 2021, which had already seen a nice increase vs 2020 thanks to the efforts of the growing communications team
🌍 3 plots of land purchased for a total of nearly 14Has
🌳 4900 trees planted approximately with a very nice survival proportion over the year thanks to maintenance and watering sessions (especially during the summer), and of course a great diversity of species (42 planted in total)
💪 140 essential volunteers were mobilized during the year to accompany our plantations and make our action possible
👨🎓 7 actions carried out in schools close to our projects
Our action continues in 2023! Starting in March, we'll be back in the field for our new project in Chateau-sur-Epte (27), with lots more in the pipeline (publication of a book, other acquisition projects in the pipeline, ...). We won't tell you everything just yet! 😀