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

A little over two years later the fire that had devastated part of the Pignada
On Monday the departmental council and the town hall of Anglet presented the reforestation plan. More than 60,000 trees will be planted between February and March 2023. The 75 hectares devastated in July 2020 will all be reforested, with much of it being maritime pines and cork oaks. From 25 November “participatory” plantations will also be organized with residents and students.

More cork oaks and a lot fewer pines

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

Before the fire, pine made up 95% of the plot, up from 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 easier. These two species were also selected because they should be able to adapt to climate change over the next fifty years, explains the National Forestry Office.

A plot dedicated to sowing by residents and students of English schools

On November 25, Anglet residents, elected officials and school students will plant 4,800 trees on 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. 55,000 trees will be planted between February and March and a follow-up will then be carried out for the next two years. However, it will take 15 to 20 years before you find out the adult face of this forest
.

Last November, during a ceremony the city of Anglet had paid homage to the “heroes of Pignada”
. Three teams of pilots, canadair mechanics and 26 firefighters have received recognition from the municipality for responding to the bushfire.

Last summer, two years after the fire that hit the wood of Pignada, 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 euros to replant the forest of Pignada (Ayudam Pignada’s donation campaign reached a total of 140,000 euros).