%0 Journal Article
%T Spontaneous ash tree reforestation in the Central Pyrenees: a future local energy source?
%A Bernard Elyakime
%A Laurent Larrieu
%A Alain Cabanettes
%A Laurent Burnel
%J Revue de G¨Ĥographie Alpine
%D 2012
%I Association pour la Diffusion de la Recherche Alpine
%R 10.4000/rga.1585
%X With the agricultural economy of the Central Pyrenees in steady decline, natural forest stands are colonising abandoned agricultural meadows. The present study seeks to define the economic conditions for a new fuel-wood local economy based on these extensions of the forest cover. Farmer/forest owners are capable of exploiting this resource, involving logging, hauling and cutting the wood to size, to meet their own heating needs. In this way, owners could thus recuperate a maximum unit value estimated at 11.2 to 22.3 ? per stere (1 cubic metre), or an average value of 16.8 ? per stere after deduction of all costs. An economy based on wood energy, using wood from spontaneously generated forest growth on private land, is therefore possible. A development policy for such an activity could be envisaged with appropriate initiatives to stimulate the owners of land where spontaneous ash reforestation has occurred to harvest this potential resource.
%K mountain
%K forest
%K agriculture
%K spontaneous reforestation
%K public policy
%K wood energy
%U http://rga.revues.org/1585