French National Monuments launch tree replanting program

The Monuments Nationaux network is launching a national replanting program to protect its 3,300 hectares of parks, gardens, and forests from climate change. A study released in September 2026 indicates that historical landscapes are increasingly threatened by droughts, floods, extreme weather, and new diseases. Of the 80% of monuments featuring landscaped grounds, 19% are highly exposed to heatwaves, 79% to thermal stress, and 65% to fire risks.

Funded by the AXA Fund for Human Progress, the initiative aims to plant nearly 10,000 trees across 13 French monuments by 2030. Locations include the Rambouillet and Saint-Cloud national domains, the Château de Voltaire, and the Château de la Motte-Tilly. Initial plantings are scheduled for this winter at the Château de Puyguilhem and the Grande Armée Column in Wimille.

To ensure long-term survival, species such as Platanus orientalis, Quercus cerris, and Tilia cordata will be selected based on their climate resilience and local adaptation. The program intends to source trees from French nurseries whenever possible to maintain historical landscape patterns while adapting to evolving environmental conditions.