Chepy Terra is a local non-profit organization dedicated to reconnecting heritage, art, and nature within the Saint-Jean de Chépy estate, located in Tullins, near the headquarters of SIDAS.

Respect for biodiversity has always been at the heart of the estate. In 2022, the organization expanded its mission to further accelerate the protection of this precious biodiversity, which holds deep meaning for the estate’s owners.

Saint-Jean de Chépy is a true biodiversity oasis, where forest, river, self-regenerating meadows, a vegetable garden, and beehives coexist in harmony.

This private estate is freely open to the public and regularly welcomes local schools, playing an important educational role in raising awareness about environmental issues and biodiversity preservation. Located in the Isère lowlands, a region marked by intensive farming (notably walnut and corn crops), the estate acts as a vital refuge for many species.

In recent years, the estate has been severely affected by ash dieback, an invasive disease that has decimated a large number of trees across the 10-hectare site.

In response to this urgent situation, major tree-cutting and replanting work was launched. This reforestation project serves several key purposes:

• Biodiversity preservation, as many of the affected trees – some over a hundred years old – provided essential habitat for wildlife;
• Safety, as several diseased trees had already fallen, and many more posed a serious risk of collapse.

It is in this context that the Sidas World Foundation chose to support the Chepy Terra Association through a three-year partnership, focused primarily on reforestation efforts.

In 2023, most of the infected trees were removed, and over a hundred new and diverse trees and shrubs were planted across the estate.

The projects supported by our Foundation also have an educational purpose for our employees, as awareness is the first step toward meaningful action.

In December 2024, around fifteen volunteers from the Sidas World Foundation gathered at the Saint-Jean de Chépy estate for a field visit, with a special focus on raising awareness about biodiversity protection.