People and chestnut groves have coexisted for centuries, taking care of each other..
Man cultivated the chestnut tree for the nutritional value of its fruit, and for its dense, durable wood, which has many uses.
The rural exodus and the importance given to short-term economic objectives (uprooting of chestnut trees for tannin extraction) have accelerated the decline of our chestnut grove.
Climatic hazards, the gradual shift from cultivation to harvesting, the lack of orchard maintenance and the non-renewal of "old chestnut trees" have all contributed to the decline in production and the development of fungal diseases.
The chestnut grove is a semi-natural formation inherited from traditional uses and practices. The abandonment of these practices is gradually leading to degradation.
With this in mind, and in order to offer a new future to chestnut trees in the Massif des Maures, a project was born.
This project, initiated in the commune of Collobrières, is supported by three local partners: the Collobrières town council, the Association Castanéicole de l'Espace Forestier Collobriérois and the Syndicat des Producteurs de Châtaignes du Var. Its aim is to rehabilitate chestnut groves and create the conditions for their sustainable upkeep.
To achieve this, we are currently working on an action plan for each plot, taking into account the location of the plot, the condition of the existing chestnut grove, the cost of rehabilitating the plots and the objectives of the various owners.
In certain situations - with suitable plots of land and a farming presence - the rehabilitation of old orchards will be undertaken to boost fruit production. In other cases, farmers and landowners are already considering chestnut silviculture as a means of exploiting the wood.
In addition to economic activities, the chestnut grove still has many interests.
Indeed, well-maintained chestnut groves have proved their worth as firebreaks in recent years. Rehabilitating chestnut groves along strategic axes will therefore reinforce fire prevention measures.
Finally, many people (owners or not, residents or not) are keen to restore a certain quality of landscape in keeping with the cultural heritage of the Maures. The Fêtes de la châtaigne (chestnut festivals) are part of this revival of castaneiculture in the Var. They raise public awareness of the work involved in running a chestnut grove, and try to revive traditions linked to the presence of the chestnut tree.