France: Historic Trees Felled | European Journal

The forest of Fontainebleau, 60 km southeast of Paris, is famous for its centuries-old oak trees. But many are in a sorry state and over 1,500 oaks have been felled. Environmentalists are outraged.The forestry authority says that the trees had to be cut down because they were already dead. It blames climate change for causing the drought-like conditions that killed the trees. Green activists believe that is just a pretext. They say that the interests of the timber industry have triumphed over environmental concerns. For many French, Fontainebleau is sacred. In 1850 the world's first nature reserve was created here, as well as the first marked paths. Many poets and painters have been inspired by the beauty of Fontainebleau.