In the forest, I adopt a responsible attitude

Fire, pollution, depletion of flora and fauna… the dangers lurking in the forest are numerous. The Saint-Tro’Park campsite reminds you of the best ways to enjoy our beautiful forests while preserving them.

The waste-free forest

With 2,900 hectares of woodland, almost 12% of the island of Oléron is covered by forest. A remarkable natural heritage, the forests of Saint-Trojan-les-Bains and Saint-Georges d’Oléron are a source of great biodiversity. To continue enjoying our forests while preserving them, all you have to do is follow a few simple, and sometimes elementary, rules.

Never leave garbage behind. Keep it and sort it when you return. Pick up litter along the way, even if it’s not your own. Make sure you have a garbage bag to put any garbage you find in.

DID YOU KNOW? A glass bottle takes 4,000 years to degrade in nature. An aluminum can: 200 to 500 years; a plastic bag: 400 years; a mercury battery: 200 years; chewing gum: 5 years… And don’t forget that littering can be very costly, with fines of up to €1,500!

While some types of waste pollute the soil and groundwater, others pose a danger to wildlife. A plastic bag abandoned in a forest, for example, can become a death trap for small mammals such as voles, squirrels and hedgehogs. The solution? The zero-waste picnic, with no disposable packaging. But beware: some food scraps (chips, bread, sandwiches, etc.) left behind by walkers can be toxic or even fatal for forest animals.

Protecting flora and fauna

Forests are reservoirs of biodiversity that must be preserved. Here are some things to remember if you’re out for a walk or a hike:

Keep to the marked trails to avoid trampling the flora.
Do not pick protected plants or flowers.
Keep a low profile so as not to disturb the wildlife (and have a chance of spotting it!).
Camp only in authorized, secure and protected areas(no wild camping or bivouac parties).

Fighting forest fires

This summer of 2022 has been marked by numerous forest fires across France. However, 9 out of 10 fires are of human origin and could be avoided by adopting appropriate behavior.

Don’t smoke in the forest, and don’t throw cigarette butts out of your car window (one butt is enough to start a fire).
Don’t light a fire (under any circumstances) or barbecue within 200 meters of a forest or wooded area, even if you think you’ve taken every precaution.
Park your vehicle on non-grassy surfaces: a high-temperature exhaust system can ignite dry grass.
Keep access to forest roads clear.
Respect access restrictions in certain wooded areas during periods of high fire risk.

photo@Николай Егошин, pixabay