Forest of Tronçais
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The Forest of Tronçais (french: Forêt de Tronçais, ) is a national forest comprising in the
Allier Allier ( , , ; oc, Alèir) is a department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region that borders Cher to the west, Nièvre to the north, Saône-et-Loire and Loire to the east, Puy-de-Dôme to the south, and Creuse to the south-west. Named afte ...
department of central France. It is managed by the
National Forests Office The National Forests Office (french: Office national des forêts), or ONF, is a Government of France agency that manages the state forests, city forests and biological reserves. ONF is based in Paris. The office is responsible for the sustaina ...
(ONF). Its
oak An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...
s, planted by
Louis XIV , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of Vers ...
's minister
Jean-Baptiste Colbert Jean-Baptiste Colbert (; 29 August 1619 – 6 September 1683) was a French statesman who served as First Minister of State from 1661 until his death in 1683 under the rule of King Louis XIV. His lasting impact on the organization of the countr ...
to supply the French Navy, constitute one of the principal stands of oaks in Europe. Within the forest boundaries are the communes of
Braize Braize () is a commune in the Allier department in central France. Geography At its widest point, the commune is 8 km across, stretching from the Cher department to the Rond des Landes Blanches. It lies in a valley oriented east and wes ...
, Cérilly,
Isle-et-Bardais Isle-et-Bardais () is a commune in the Allier department in central France. Population See also *Communes of the Allier department The following is a list of the 317 communes of the Allier department of France. Intercommunalities ...
, Le Brethon,
Meaulne-Vitray Meaulne-Vitray () is a commune in the department of Allier, central France. The municipality was established on 1 January 2017 by merger of the former communes of Meaulne (the seat) and Vitray. History In an effort to guarantee the maintenanc ...
, Saint-Bonnet-Tronçais, Urçay and Valigny. It is mainly made up of
sessile oak ''Quercus petraea'', commonly known as the sessile oak, Cornish oak, Irish Oak or durmast oak, is a species of oak tree native to most of Europe and into Anatolia and Iran. The sessile oak is the national tree of Ireland, and an unofficial embl ...
. It also contains of ponds and is deemed by many as the most beautiful oakwood in Europe.ONF (juillet 2011
La sylviculture du chêne à Tronçais La sylviculture du chêne à Tronçais
(document distribué à l'occasion d'une visite lors de l'assemblée générale de la Société des amis de la forêt de Tronçais


Geography

The Forest of Tronçais is located in the (INF) of Boischaut et Champagne Berrichonne. The forest constitutes the most part of the massif du Tronçais, a
highland Highlands or uplands are areas of high elevation such as a mountainous region, elevated mountainous plateau or high hills. Generally speaking, upland (or uplands) refers to ranges of hills, typically from up to while highland (or highlands) is ...
region which spans about and is part of the
Massif Central The (; oc, Massís Central, ; literally ''"Central Massif"'') is a highland region in south-central France, consisting of mountains and plateaus. It covers about 15% of mainland France. Subject to volcanism that has subsided in the last 10,00 ...
. The massif is located in the
Allier Allier ( , , ; oc, Alèir) is a department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region that borders Cher to the west, Nièvre to the north, Saône-et-Loire and Loire to the east, Puy-de-Dôme to the south, and Creuse to the south-west. Named afte ...
department of the
Bourbonnais Bourbonnais () was a historic province in the centre of France that corresponds to the modern ''département'' of Allier, along with part of the ''département'' of Cher. Its capital was Moulins. History The title of the ruler of Bourbonnais ...
region. The oakwood spans the communes of
Braize Braize () is a commune in the Allier department in central France. Geography At its widest point, the commune is 8 km across, stretching from the Cher department to the Rond des Landes Blanches. It lies in a valley oriented east and wes ...
(776 ha), Cérilly, Allier (1,788 ha), Couleuvre (405 ha),
Isle-et-Bardais Isle-et-Bardais () is a commune in the Allier department in central France. Population See also *Communes of the Allier department The following is a list of the 317 communes of the Allier department of France. Intercommunalities ...
(2,788 ha), Le Brethon (1,400 ha),
Meaulne Meaulne () is a former commune in the Allier department in central France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in t ...
(112 ha), Saint-Bonnet-Tronçais (1,176 ha), Urçay (343 ha), Valigny (17 ha) and
Vitray Vitray () is a former commune in the Allier department in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes in central France. On 1 January 2017, it was merged into the new commune Meaulne-Vitray Meaulne-Vitray () is a commune in the department of Allier, central Fra ...
(1,728 ha). The massif has a general north–west orientation, with slight slopes, except in the massif de La Bouteille and stream hollows. Altitudes vary from in the northwest to in Bois Laid. Annual rainfall is between , with an average temperature of . There are four main parts of the forest: l'Armenanche (east), la Réserve (centre), les Landes blanches (north-west) and la Bouteille (south-west). Several enclaves have created " open areas ". The contours of the écotone/lisières massif are very rugged.


Geology

The forest is located on the southern limit of the
Paris Basin The Paris Basin is one of the major geological regions of France. It developed since the Triassic over remnant uplands of the Variscan orogeny (Hercynian orogeny). The sedimentary basin, no longer a single drainage basin, is a large sag in th ...
, on varied substrates (from the primary to the
quaternary The Quaternary ( ) is the current and most recent of the three periods of the Cenozoic Era in the geologic time scale of the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS). It follows the Neogene Period and spans from 2.58 million years ...
eras). Most of the forest is located on sandstone or clay from the
triassic The Triassic ( ) is a geologic period and system which spans 50.6 million years from the end of the Permian Period 251.902 million years ago ( Mya), to the beginning of the Jurassic Period 201.36 Mya. The Triassic is the first and shortest period ...
period.


Bodies of water

Two rivers cross the massif: the and its tributary the . The Marmande is a tributary of the
Cher Cher (; born Cherilyn Sarkisian; May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Often referred to by the media as the Honorific nicknames in popular music, "Goddess of Pop", she has been described as embodying female ...
which feeds the
Loire The Loire (, also ; ; oc, Léger, ; la, Liger) is the longest river in France and the 171st longest in the world. With a length of , it drains , more than a fifth of France's land, while its average discharge is only half that of the Rhône ...
. There are also five ponds (french: l'étang, link=no, italics=yes): * L'étang de Saint-Bonnet (44 ha) – This natural pond was enlarged at the end of the 18th century to sustain the level of l'étang de Morat. * L'étang de Tronçais (18 ha) – On la Sologne, created in 1789 to provide energy to the
forge A forge is a type of hearth used for heating metals, or the workplace (smithy) where such a hearth is located. The forge is used by the smith to heat a piece of metal to a temperature at which it becomes easier to shape by forging, or to th ...
s of Tronçais * L'étang de Morat (private) (13 ha) – On la Sologne, downstream of l'étang de Tronçais * L'étang de Saloup (private) (12 ha) – Upstream of l'étang de Tronçais * L'étang de Pirot (70 ha) – On la Marmande, this pond was in operation in 1848 to feed the
canal de Berry The Canal de Berry is a disused canal in France which links the Canal latéral à la Loire at Marseilles-lès-Aubigny with the Cher (river), Cher at Noyers-sur-Cher, Noyers rejoining the Loire near Tours. With a branch from Montluçon it provided ...
via l'étang de Goule. There are about 100 spring sources in the forest: File:Fontaine de Viljot.jpg, Image:Font_jarsaud.png,


Flora

The principal trees are sessile oak (''
Quercus petraea ''Quercus petraea'', commonly known as the sessile oak, Cornish oak, Irish Oak or durmast oak, is a species of oak tree native to most of Europe and into Anatolia and Iran. The sessile oak is the national tree of Ireland, and an unofficial emble ...
'') (73%), whose ancient name in French, ''tronce'', gave its name to the district. Other dominant species are
beech Beech (''Fagus'') is a genus of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia, and North America. Recent classifications recognize 10 to 13 species in two distinct subgenera, ''Engleriana'' and ''Fagus''. The ''Engle ...
(''Fagus sylvatica'') (9%) and pedunculate oak ('' Q. robur'') (8%), with
hornbeam Hornbeams are hardwood trees in the flowering plant genus ''Carpinus'' in the birch family Betulaceae. The 30–40 species occur across much of the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Origin of names The common English name ''hornbeam' ...
and
Scots pine ''Pinus sylvestris'', the Scots pine (UK), Scotch pine (US) or Baltic pine, is a species of tree in the pine family Pinaceae that is native to Eurasia. It can readily be identified by its combination of fairly short, blue-green leaves and orang ...
planted in the poorer soils. Trees are harvested on a rotation averaging 250 years. The massif plays an important role for
biodiversity Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic (''genetic variability''), species (''species diversity''), and ecosystem (''ecosystem diversity'') l ...
for many species on a national level. It also hosts many grove-like landscapes or ''paysages bocagers'' ( bocage bourbonnais, seasonal agropastoral bocage and permanent grassland landscape).DREAL Auvergne (2013
Prédiagnostic des continuités écologiques en Bourbonnais et Basse Combraille
/ref> Other nearby massifs include: * la Forêt des Colettes, north of the
Chouvigny Chouvigny (; oc, Chalvinhet) is a commune in the Allier department in central France. Population See also *Communes of the Allier department The following is a list of the 317 communes of the Allier department of France. Intercomm ...
gorges, spanning over 3,000 ha and which hosts a few rare and patrimonial breeds like the
Rosalia longicorn The Rosalia longicorn (''Rosalia alpina'') or Alpine longhorn beetle, is a large longicorn (family Cerambycidae) that is distinguished by its distinctive markings. Description The Rosalia longicorn is long. The antennae can be up to twice as ...
, the
great crested newt The northern crested newt, great crested newt or warty newt (''Triturus cristatus'') is a newt species native to Great Britain, northern and central continental Europe and parts of Western Siberia. It is a large newt, with females growing up to ...
(protected species at European level) and the
yellow-bellied toad The yellow-bellied toad (''Bombina variegata'') belongs to the order Anura, the family Bombinatoridae, and the genus of fire-bellied toads. The toad is distributed mainly across western Europe as well as a handful of countries in eastern Euro ...
* la forêt de Bagnolet * la forêt de Messarges * la forêt de l'Espinasse * la forêt de Gros-Bois * la forêt de Civrais A number of oak specimens have been preserved for heritage. Among these are (pictured below): * Chêne carré (Square oak) circumference, more than 300 years old, parcel 215 * Chênes jumeaux (Twin oaks) circumference, more than 400 years old, parcel 137 * Chêne Sentinelle (Sentiel oak) circumference, more than 400 years old, parcel 136 File:Chêne carré.jpg, File:Chênes jumeaux.jpg, File:Chêne sentinelle.jpg,


Fauna

There are predators such as common buzzard, booted eagle,
northern goshawk The northern goshawk (; ''Accipiter gentilis'') is a species of medium-large bird of prey, raptor in the Family (biology), family Accipitridae, a family which also includes other extant diurnal raptors, such as eagles, buzzards and harrier (bird) ...
,
hen harrier The hen harrier (''Circus cyaneus'') is a bird of prey. It breeds in Eurasia. The term "hen harrier" refers to its former habit of preying on free-ranging fowl. It migrates to more southerly areas in winter. Eurasian birds move to southern Eur ...
, etc., and many breeds of bats. The
diversity of insects Insect biodiversity accounts for a large proportion of all biodiversity on the planet—over half of the estimated 1.5 million organism species described are classified as insects. Species diversity Estimates of the total number of insect species ...
is also very important, notably in the parcels of the old wood (i.e.: the Colbert Forest). Important populations of stag, roe and wild boor are regulated by hunting.


History


Roman era

The land was cleared and intensively cultivated under the
Roman Empire The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings around the Mediterr ...
. 108 Roman habitations that have been discovered in the forest, most during recent decades. Roman manuring and fertilizing practices created a pocket of increased
biodiversity Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic (''genetic variability''), species (''species diversity''), and ecosystem (''ecosystem diversity'') l ...
, which has remained self-sustaining over two millennia and can be detected today.


Middle ages

''Tronçais'' is first recorded from the 13th century, in a document relating to the priory de la Bouteille. The forest was first owned by 14 nearby parishes, then yielded in 1327 to the Duke of Bourbon. The Forest of Tronçais has belonged to central power since 1527, when all land possessions were confiscated from the Constable of Bourbon by royal power.


Since 1670

The forest is not a relic of the primeval forest that once covered most of France, but was organized by
Jean-Baptiste Colbert Jean-Baptiste Colbert (; 29 August 1619 – 6 September 1683) was a French statesman who served as First Minister of State from 1661 until his death in 1683 under the rule of King Louis XIV. His lasting impact on the organization of the countr ...
in 1670. With forethought for the requirements of the French Navy two hundred years hence, the Colbert Forest was planted as an oak grove. The oaks were interplanted with beeches and
larch Larches are deciduous conifers in the genus ''Larix'', of the family Pinaceae (subfamily Laricoideae). Growing from tall, they are native to much of the cooler temperate northern hemisphere, on lowlands in the north and high on mountains furt ...
es to encourage their growth for favourable timber for ship's masts: straight, tall, and free of knots. By the time the trees were fully mature, the navy was rapidly switching from sail to steam. The forest was diminished by the creation in 1788 of iron forges fed by charcoal from the forest, and by urgent cutting during the
French Revolution The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are considere ...
and the Napoleonic period. The forest regenerated during the 19th century.


Management

The forest is divided into 442 parcels of
sessile oak ''Quercus petraea'', commonly known as the sessile oak, Cornish oak, Irish Oak or durmast oak, is a species of oak tree native to most of Europe and into Anatolia and Iran. The sessile oak is the national tree of Ireland, and an unofficial embl ...
(95% of the surface) and
Scots pine ''Pinus sylvestris'', the Scots pine (UK), Scotch pine (US) or Baltic pine, is a species of tree in the pine family Pinaceae that is native to Eurasia. It can readily be identified by its combination of fairly short, blue-green leaves and orang ...
or black pine (5%).
Beech Beech (''Fagus'') is a genus of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia, and North America. Recent classifications recognize 10 to 13 species in two distinct subgenera, ''Engleriana'' and ''Fagus''. The ''Engle ...
and
hornbeam Hornbeams are hardwood trees in the flowering plant genus ''Carpinus'' in the birch family Betulaceae. The 30–40 species occur across much of the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Origin of names The common English name ''hornbeam' ...
are also present, along with
cherry A cherry is the fruit of many plants of the genus ''Prunus'', and is a fleshy drupe (stone fruit). Commercial cherries are obtained from cultivars of several species, such as the sweet ''Prunus avium'' and the sour ''Prunus cerasus''. The nam ...
and checker tree. It is the only forest in France which is managed with harvesting of timber on a cycle exceeding 200 years.


The Colbert forest

The oldest trees are in the Colbert forest (french: la futaie Colbert, link=no). It is a parcel, in two pieces, the main stand in a regeneration from the end of the 17th century. These are classified as a directed biological reserve; lumber is no longer taken in order to favour
biodiversity Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic (''genetic variability''), species (''species diversity''), and ecosystem (''ecosystem diversity'') l ...
around deadwood and senescent trees. The Colbert high forest spanned in 1976, of which 60 ha were regenerated from 1976 to 2001.


Barrels

The oaks of Tronçais, representing some 80% of timber production, are prized for the barrels coopered for
cognac Cognac ( , also , ) is a variety of brandy named after the Communes of France, commune of Cognac, France. It is produced in the surrounding wine-growing region in the Departments of France, departments of Charente and Charente-Maritime. Cog ...
and the great wines of Bordeaux. This is linked to several elements, found in other national forests of the Loire basin: *The age management in the high forest allows slender trees which are pruned naturally, leaving relatively few knots in the wood. *Due to the summer water deficit and the density of the stands, the wood grows slowly, providing a fine and regular grain to the wood. *The wood has a pink colour and a chemical composition appreciated in a raw (untreated) quality. Amongst the more famous coopers using the oaks of Tronçais is Dominique Laurent, who makes what are widely regarded as some of the world's finest barrels. These have been nicknamed "magic casks", by wine taster Michel Bettane. Laurent goes into the Tronçais forest to select the trees (typically around 300 years of age) and transports them to the cooperage himself, thus guaranteeing provenance. He uses the top section of the trunk, the staves are split by hand and air dried for 52 months. Due to hand splitting, the staves have a thickness of compared to commercial barrels at . The barrels were developed for Dominique Laurent, and Tardieu Laurent's top cuvees, but a few of the barrels are sold to French and international producers including DRC, Zind Humbrecht,
Clos Mogador Clos Mogador produces estate bottled wines in Gratallops, Catalonia in the DOQ Priorat. Founded in 1979 by René Barbier III and his wife, Isabelle Meyer, the winery was part of a new wave of "Clos" wineries that released their first joint 1989 v ...
, Pingus and Beau Fréres. A limited number of barrels are exported to Australia where they are used by the boutique winemaker
Torbreck Torbreck is an Australian winery in the Barossa Valley, founded by David Powell in 1994. The winery was named one of the World's Top 100 Wine Estates by Robert Parker. The winery is named after a forest in Scotland where Powell worked as ...
for the making of shiraz.


Forest art

Sculpted trunks have been installed in the forest's clearings by the
National Forests Office The National Forests Office (french: Office national des forêts), or ONF, is a Government of France agency that manages the state forests, city forests and biological reserves. ONF is based in Paris. The office is responsible for the sustaina ...
(ONF) and the communes of Pays de Tronçais in 2008, 2010 and 2012.


Notes


External links


Forest of Tronçais
on the website of the ''Office national des forêts'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Troncay, Forest of Forests of France Geography of Allier Tourist attractions in Allier Forest of Troncay