The Sidas World Foundation is proud to support a local forestry project that is both innovative and necessary: the creation of an educational forest led by GSV 38 in the Vercors mountain range.

The Groupement des Sylviculteurs du Vercors Isère (GSVI 38) brings together nearly 250 landowners, representing over 3,000 hectares of forest. Its mission? To promote forest management that is more sustainable, more resilient to climate change, and more collaborative.

In this context, a 6-hectare PEFC-certified educational forest was acquired in late 2023 in the hills above Villard-de-Lans. This open-air laboratory will be accessible to:
•    Forest landowners,
•    Schools and educational institutions,
•    Local businesses and stakeholders,
•    Forestry associations from other mountain ranges (Chartreuse, Belledonne…).

This spring, 250 seedlings were planted in the forest’s first clearings. The project is built on a thoughtful balance between climate adaptation and biodiversity:
•    Two-thirds of the seedlings are conifers adapted to the changing climate of the Vercors.
- Among them, 80 Bornmüller firs (or Turkish firs), a Mediterranean species known for its resilience.
- Cedar and Douglas fir were also selected for their robustness in drier, warmer conditions.
•    One-third of the seedlings are broadleaf and fruit-bearing forest trees (e.g., wild service tree, cornelian cherry), aimed at strengthening the site’s biodiversity.

The trees are planted every 3 meters, with a planned natural loss rate of about 30% - a known reality for foresters that allows observation of how different species evolve according to microclimates and soil types.

The aim is not to introduce exotic species, but to favor southern species better suited to local climate evolution. This is a concrete response to visible signals in our forests: repeated droughts, Norway spruce dieback, species migration…

The Sidas World Foundation is supporting this project through dedicated funding for two critical components:
•    Purchasing adapted and certified seedlings,
•    And above all, protecting them from wildlife, now essential, with nearly two-thirds of the budget allocated to it.

This project goes beyond tree planting. It aims to educate, demonstrate, and raise awareness. To show foresters how to adapt their practices. To inspire younger generations. To provide communities with realistic, responsible tools for adaptation.

The face of our forests is changing. Supporting this transition is essential. The GSV38 Educational Forest stands as a symbol of this shift, and a concrete response to the challenges ahead.