La Motte du Caire sequoias

By the end of the 19th century, erosion had reached catastrophic levels in the Southern Alps. The cause was centuries of rampant deforestation, which left bare soil vulnerable to runoff.Several laws were successively enacted, giving the government the authority to intervene—sometimes against the will of residents who were unaware of what was at stake.Forest houses were built to house Water and Forestry personnel and to prepare for future plantings using the surrounding nurseries.Numerous experiments were conducted to establish the Austrian black pine as the preferred species for reforestation.But foresters liked to shade their homes with majestic and decorative exotic species, such as the redwoods and cedars seen here.Just north of La Motte du Caire, the Saignon basin is a good example of ongoing research into the evolution of these man-made forests. There is also a trail with educational resources (informational signs).In the heart of the UNESCO Geoparc of Haute-Provence, some sites mention reforestation and erosion: Brusquet forest parc, Demontzey parc (located at Labouret pass) and Draix experimental basins.
Source : www.geoparchauteprovence.com/