Alpine forests in transition

Alpine forests are considered to be a natural space par excellence and a reservoir of biodiversity, but they are also an area of interaction between humans and ecosystems (ecological, silvicultural, landscape and recreational functions). The forestry and timber industry has been largely responsible for the management and development of Alpine forests for several hundred years, and now finds itself confronted with global changes and new societal demands.

Firstly, the effects of climate change on forests and their management: forest fires, storms, attacks by pests such as bark beetles, etc. Climate change thus appears to be a threat to Alpine forests and a vector of crises for the forestry and timber industry. Secondly, forests have been given a new role as a tool in the fight against climate change. This has led to renewed interest in forests, which are now at the heart of political issues, and an upsurge in criticism.

The aim of this project is to describe and analyze the role played by players in the forestry and timber sector in the transition of mountain forests in the face of public challenges linked to the climate crisis. It will be based on field surveys carried out in several Alpine regions, notably the Maurienne and Tarentaise. This comparative approach will demonstrate the geographical complexity of the issues affecting Alpine forest socio-ecosystems.

Supported by the Eugène and Marie Fournier Endowment Fund and the UGA Foundation, this project is part of an inter- and trans-disciplinary approach. It is based on three lines of research:

• Transition and wood trades
• Transition and visions of the forest
• Forests and territorial recompositions