Arboretum of Etrez

A 3-hectare wooded area less than 2 km from the village of Etrez.
It's both a place for walks and picnics for young and old, and a place dedicated to the conservation of tree and shrub species.
The site is open to the public all year round, provided they respect the visitor's charter on the entrance sign.
It is visited by individuals, groups and schoolchildren, particularly on Nature Day.

The "Arbres et Nature" association is involved in the creation of an arboretum to the north of the commune. Its aim is to promote trees to the general public of all generations through a better understanding of trees, their life, history, uses, role, function in nature and their enhancement.
Objectives :
- Preserve regional tree species and introduce rare species of the same species for educational purposes.
- To offer future generations a place to recharge their batteries, in the calm of a protected and managed forest area.

To date, 150 trees of different species and 80 shrubs have been planted, all marked with a plaque bearing their Latin and French names. A 250 m hedge borders the park on 2 sides.

There's also a 200-year-old "plessée" hornbeam, one of the remarkable trees listed by Patrimoine des Pays de l'Ain.

Two wetlands have been created: a pond and an area of 3 basins with a footbridge, home to aquatic plants, insects and amphibians, including the protected yellow-bellied toad.


The association organizes guided tours to raise visitors' awareness of the need to conserve biodiversity, particularly on Heritage Days.
To do even more for biodiversity, the association has acquired the adjacent land (around 2 hectares) and is working to rehabilitate the pond, which was still in water a hundred years ago.