Centaure Park Forest
Sown by students, grown by community.
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Trees
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Square Meters
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Native Species
The project began with a question from students. A group of 18 to 21 year olds at the Université de Technologie de Compiègne, looking to engage with nature restoration as part of their project management curriculum, set out to identify a potential pocket forest site in the Greater Paris region. They found it in Cergy: a public park on the edge of the city that already holds an old orchard, a flock of grazing sheep, big poplar trees, meadows, walking paths, a petanque ground, and a youth centre next door. The municipality is fully behind the project and will partner on long-term stewardship alongside the community.
A SUGi Pocket Forest in this setting will become a community space where residents, schools, and associations can explore the connections between forest, orchard, and eco-grazing, and gain a tangible understanding of climate restoration.
Forest Maker
Nicolas de Brabandère
Forest Partner
"For the city of Cergy, creating a pocket forest in Centaure Park represents a fantastic opportunity for ecological, social, and educational innovation. In addition to the existing orchard and urban grazing area, this project will allow the exploration of new forms of urban nature while strengthening biodiversity, climate resilience, and the fight against heat islands."
— Jean-Paul Jeandon, Mayor of Cergy
