{"id":53748,"date":"2025-04-30T19:12:56","date_gmt":"2025-04-30T17:12:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/envol-vert.org\/filactu\/leaving-dead-wood-on-the-ground\/"},"modified":"2025-08-09T19:12:57","modified_gmt":"2025-08-09T17:12:57","slug":"leaving-dead-wood-on-the-ground","status":"publish","type":"fil_d_actu","link":"https:\/\/envol-vert.org\/en\/fd\/leaving-dead-wood-on-the-ground\/","title":{"rendered":"Leaving dead wood on the ground"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/i><\/div>Leaving dead wood on the ground: a key action for forest biodiversity<\/h4><\/div>
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Sustainable forest management is essential for preserving biodiversity and ensuring the resilience of ecosystems in the face of climate change. <\/span>In this process, taking dead wood on the ground into account plays a central role. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>

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<\/i><\/div>Dead wood, a treasure trove for biodiversity<\/h4><\/div>
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Dead wood (standing or on the ground) plays a key role in forest ecosystems, serving as a habitat and resource for many species:<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>

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    Saproxylic fungi<\/strong> that decompose wood, enriching the soil.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>

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    Xylophagous invertebrates <\/strong>(beetles, termites, etc.), which are a source of food for other animals.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>

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    Cave-dwelling birds and bats<\/strong>, which use hollow trunks for nesting.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li><\/ul>

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    A large volume of dead wood is therefore often correlated with greater biological diversity.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>

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    <\/i><\/div>The link with Envol Vert’s forest diagnostics<\/h4><\/div>
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    As part of the SEVE project, Envol Vert carried out forest assessments with 20 landowners committed to sustainable management. These studies aim to support landowners in moving towards continuous cover forestry, which promotes species diversity and natural regeneration, while limiting the impact of human intervention. <\/span><\/p>\n

    One of the key principles highlighted in these assessments is the importance of maintaining areas of free evolution (between 10 and 20% of the forest area is recommended), where nature can follow its own cycle without human intervention.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>

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    <\/i><\/div>The index of biodiversity potential, a key assessment tool<\/h4><\/div>
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    In order to assess the ecological richness of forests and the impact of management practices, Envol Vert uses the index of biodiversity potential. This tool measures the capacity of a forest stand to support a diversity of species based on criteria such as the presence of dead wood, species diversity, and the existence of old trees and microhabitats. <\/span>A high IBP indicates a forest offering optimal conditions for fauna and flora, highlighting the importance of maintaining dead wood and areas of free evolution.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Analysis of the IBP according to forest diagnostics reveals an overall average IPB of<\/span> 14, with the lowest IBP in the diagnostics at 3 and the highest IBP at 23.<\/span><\/p>\n

    As the overall score is out of a maximum of 50, the score is not considered high, but the overall potential for ecosystem development remains high. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>