Environmental diagnostic of the forests of the South Province

Official censuses show that forest and brush fires destroy nearly 20 000 hectares on average each year (48 000 ha in 2002) in New Caledonia. In order to best define the specific needs of its territory, the South province wanted to launch a study to develop a diagnostic of issues regarding the protection of forests that we conducted as part of the ENVIE-BIOTOPE-SCP grouping. This study marks the starting point for the drafting of the massif plans of the South Province.

This mission was conducted during the last quarter of 2013 and the first quarter of 2014, marking the first planning step for the protection of forests against fires through the development of forest contours. It will be followed first by the implementation of studies specific to each forest between 2015 and 2018 (drafting of massif plans), including an update of the diagnostics at the scale of each forest, consultation with all local actors as required by order HC/CAB/DSC no. 78 of 24 August 2012, and operational scheduling of specific developments to be done.