Les aspects sociaux d'une invasion biologique en forêt domaniale de Compiègne : la construction sociale dePrunus serotina

Abstract

Prunus serotina invasionin the national forest of Compiegne: a social construction. American black cherry (Prunus serotina Ehrh.) is an invasive tree species which is spreading throughout European temperate forests. The most heavily invaded forest in France is Compiegne forest whose landscaping for forestry and entertainment purposes dates from the mid-XIXth century. Prunus serotina alters forest stand and landscape patterns, and impedes forest management so that the forest escapes from the managers' and owners' control. The authors, an ethnologist, a sociologist and an ecologist, aim to capture and understand the identification processes of both the species itself and its effects on the ecosystem by different social and occupational groups of forest users. Beside the theoretical goals of this case study, several critical points are derived in a decision-making perspective to make forest users, as well as the general public, better aware of the rather unrecognized biological invasion phenomenon.