The linear forest, an ecological corridor at the gateway to Paris
The forêt linéaire is a bold offer. It utterly rethinks the importance of nature within the city, and upgrades the urban sprawl. The one we conceptualized flourishes just outside the northern gates from Paris. This three-kilometer-long planted promenade runs between the Porte de la Chapelle and the Porte de la Villette, literally by the beltway. It takes over every neglected or devalued space, converting them into quality public spaces. Originally a garden, the linear forest is now filled with mature trees. A forestry management has helped humus to develop on the soils with the decomposition of leaves, forming a nutritious litter for plants and understory beings that thrive there. Eventually, this litter will be invaded by vegetation.
In the glades, where the tallest trees have taken root, another method allows the forest to move into the city. Salvaged from the Bois de Boulogne and Bois de Vincennes, large logs have been installed to form the skeleton of the Forest. An ecological paradigma has been reestablished, as the forêt linéaire already serves as a corridor for several species, formerly excluded from the area. This is even intended to evolve as time goes by. A successive tangle of twigs and stones, brought in by local residents, schools and associations, provides shelter and nesting sites for the animals.
We could even call this forest a living wall, as trees, bushes and meadows interact to form a consistent screen. A dense canopy covers the tumult of the cars and delivers a horizon of leaves. There, under the slings of trees, a new pedestrian space designed for Parisians and Suburbians offers calm and greenery. Jogging, cycling, or just strolling around… The forêt linéaire turns into an oasis that only ends at the Canal Saint Denis, by the water.
Crossed by several trails, it links a bunch of different neighborhoods together. As a pioneer signal, it confirms the possibility of ecosystems in an urban environment. As it follows the beltway, it creates a contrast with the flow of cars and enhances the value of this hitherto neglected interstice. This forêt linéaire represents the first stage of an ambitious project that comprehends several big challenges. It aims at recreate a natural zone with a real ecological function, and this goes, among others, through an alternative management of rainwater that comes from the neighboring areas. Ground leveling creates depressions capable of collecting these floods and reusing them throughout the forest.
Hornbeam, ash, wild cherry and maple are complemented by a number of tree species from the south of France. These adapt well to the dry, warm atmosphere that surrounds the ring road, and anticipate global warming. The human management of the forest is measured, and the work of the gardeners is considerably modified. Dead leaves are kept on site, and only the driveway is raked. The principles of silviculture, which are unusual in an urban environment, are applied: we let the plants grow, select the interesting ones and thin them out!
Project Data
Landscape architect: arpentère
Client: Ville de Paris DEVE/DVD
Cost of works: 6 M€ HT
Surface area: 11 000m²
Partner: Segic ingenierie, Confluences hydraulique, MTDA écologue
Year completed: 2019
Photo credits: Karolina Samborska and Arpentère
