L’AGENCE DES ESPACES VERTS DE LA RÉGION ÎLE-DE-FRANCE, UN OPÉRATEUR FONCIER GESTIONNAIRE DE FORÊTS

For nearly forty years the AEV (Agence des Espaces verts - Parks and public gardens agency) has purchased forests on behalf of the Ile-de-France Region and has developed and managed them. These 33 forests comprising some 10200 hectares in all have structured the green belt of Ile-de-France. Under the French forestry regime, these forests benefit from the expertise and services of ONF (French Forestry Board) and from a partnership charter with the latter. Forest plans are devised taking into account landscape, environmental, archeological expertise and are implemented by AEV or its contractors. While the main objective is to attract visitors, environmental and stand renewal criteria are also considered. Irregular silvicultural systems are generally more favourably viewed by city dwellers and as such preferred where possible. Finally, AEV has embarked on a dual, FSC and PEFC, certification process which should cover increasing amounts of the timber logged in these regional forests