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The forest, one of Pilat’s assets

The forest ecosystem, which is home to such a wealth of life, plays a major role in the protection of species and natural resources.

A low mountain range

Pilat is a low mountain range which ranges from 140m to 1432m in height. As the altitude changes, so do the conditions: the cold, the rain and the humidity are greater, the soils are different.

The trees are not all the same, each species demands specific conditions in order to thrive. In Pilat this means that there are different levels of vegetation, where each tree species occupies the level to which it is best suited.

At the bottom, the oak trees

Up to a height of approx. 800 metres, you will find the sub-montane level.

On this level of vegetation, the cultivated land shares its space with the oak. This ancient tree is found pretty much everywhere; a solitary figure in the meadows, grouped in hedges, it even forms forests  on the lower slopes of the massif with the chestnut tree.

The Sessile oak is the most common oak in Pilat. On the warmer slopes it is replaced by the Downy oak. The Holm (or Evergreen) oak is only present in the driest areas. The Scots Pine likes mostly sunny areas, whether it's on the sub-montane or montane level.

Higher up, the fir tree

After 800 metres, the montane-level begins.

The conditions in this environment are more difficult, it’s colder, the vegetation changes; it should be the natural domain of the beech-fir, the forestry emblem of Pilat. However, there are important production issues.

The firs, which are favoured for the quality of their wood, form vast forests which also contain Douglas and Spruce plantations. The beeches, on the contrary have been relegated to the less favourable areas where they form notable populations.

Preserve the balance

Historically, the Pilat forest evolved at the same pace as agriculture, taking over abandoned tracts of land. Since it is such a large factor in the landscape and biodiversity, special attention is given to ensuring that a balance remains between the forest and the grasslands, preserving this mosaic of landscapes that makes Pilat so ecologically rich.

The wood industry

The wood that comes from the Pilat forests is an important resource for the massif. The wood industry, for example, produces wood chips for modern and ecological wood heating.