The Forêts de France issue of November 2023 includes a 15-page feature on cedar. This species, which has been emblematic of many civilisations, is now seen as an attractive option in the face of climate change, thanks to its resistance to drought.
The dossier looks at the cedar’s symbolic and historical importance and how it came to be introduced to France. A summary sheet describes the different species and subspecies, which have very different adaptations: Atlas cedar, Cyprus cedar, Lebanon cedar and Himalayan cedar. The rest of the dossier focuses on the Atlas cedar, which is considered as the candidate of the future in a context of global warming. Its ecological profile and potentially invasive nature are presented.
A high amount of works and experimentation has been carried out on the cedar, as detailed in the dossier. Cedar silviculture, which is still experimental, shows that cedar does well in mixed stands. The dossier concludes with an overview of the many uses for cedar, from timber and joinery to essential oils.