ForMouv : ExpoMobile “The forest in motion”

PI : Pascal Frey (UMR 1136 Interactions Arbres / Micro-organismes – IaM)

Co-applicants : Cyril Galley, CPIE Nancy-Champenoux

Collaboration : AgroParis Tech, Office National des Forêts

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Context —Forests are widespread in Lorraine. Most forests are viewed by the public as permanent spaces which do not change over time. And yet forests are complex environments, constantly changing and moving at different spatial and temporal scales. Biologists, ecologists, forest managers, historians, archaeologists and economists have shown evidence of these changes, visible at various levels. Geographical distribution of forested areas in France has increased continuously since 1850, the year marking their lowest recorded level. In parallel, the volume of standing trees has increased significantly. Modifications to forest composition and structure have largely been attributed to changes in forest management practices. Current climatic change is indisputably linked to altered tree phenology and species ranges and has promoted the appearance of new diseases and drought-related dieback.

Objectives — The ExpoMobile “Forests in motion” project is intended to actively explore the historical dynamics of forests and tree productivity. It aims to sensitize participants to the multitude of services provided by the forest, help them understand that the environment is not static but is constantly changing, and finally, to awaken the public’s curiosity about current approaches in response to scientific questions. On an area of about 80 m2, participants will be invited to discover clues demonstrating visually how the forest changes in space and time. The project will be spearheaded by INRA Nancy-Lorraine and CPIE Nancy-Champenoux, and will benefit from additional scientific and technical expertise from AgroParisTech and the ONF.