By: RTS | Environment | September 11, 2022
Forest fires leave behind an apocalyptic landscape. Vegetation does not recover quickly. But it’s not entirely a drama. The charred woods provide a haven for new biodiversity, especially birds. For example in Loèche.
During the summer heat wave of 2003, 3 km2 of fir trees went up in smoke, the work of an arsonist. The sides of the mountain still bear the scars of the blaze today. The parts of the forest affected by the flames are still sparse and littered with bare trunks.
“Nature has been completely turned upside down. Now it’s a different habitat, which is interesting for a lot of plants, a lot of insects and also birds,” explains Livio Rey, spokesperson for the Swiss Ornithological Station. “It shows that the fires are not just a disaster for nature. There are rare and endangered species that can benefit from it,”
To read the full and original article (in French) ~ please click here.
