Loire - RIF-LOIRE (Riparian Forest along the Loire River at the vicinity of Orleans)

Geography

Country: France
Lat/Lon: 001°48' E/47°52' N
Elevation: 85m
Total Area: 96ha

Ecology

Climate: Riparian
Model & Target Tree Species: Acer, Alnus, Castanea, Corylus, Crataegus, Fraxinus, Populus, Prunus, Quercus, Salix, Tilia, Ulmus

Legal status

Ownership: public
Partner: INRAE - French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment
Protection: includes nature reserve / gene conservation unit (P. nigra)
Relation to other networks:

LTER - ZA (Loire)

Long Term Perspective

Local manager (Michel Chantereau) is collaborating with M. Villar (INRA) since spring 2003, with common students on conservation of genetic ressources of Populus nigra (activities: floral and seed phenology, seed germination and growth in situ of seedlings of Populus nigra). Two regional and national projects have been funded linking INRA and NO. This National Reserve is the site of educational and public visits (25 days in 2005).

Scientific Value

Zone 1: linear row of disseminated adult trees of isolated Populus nigra and Salix alba
Zone 2: one dense mature riparian forest, near intensively managed orchards
Zone 3: large island of Mareau with very dense cohorts of 8-10 years old populations of P. nigra
Zone 4: smaller island of St Ay with very dense cohorts of 8-10 years old young populations of P. nigra and young seedlings of P. nigraand Salix alba. Mature stand of 500 Populus nigra (30-50 years old) linked with other forest tree species.