Lessons learned from a questionnaire about forest plantations to improve the management of such social-ecological systems

International audiencePlantations forests are at the heart of controversies, conducting sometimes to conflicts between local stakeholders. Both sides, opponents and defenders, highlight arguments, which are linked to the need to preserve environment. These arguments are largely marked by perceptions, especially about nature. Thus, forest plantations appear as a relevant research object to question some issues concerning social-ecological systems and their management. We studied these plantations (especially the ones of acacias in Viêt Nam and poplars in France) in the framework of an interdisciplinary and international project (Reforesté, 2018-2019), funded by the MSH (House of human sciences)-Val de Loire and supported by the Zone Atelier (French Long-Term Social Ecological Research Network)-Loire. Our purpose was to better understand the point of view of each ones, by questioning their perceptions. The project team thus defined and circulated an online questionnaire and obtained 201 answers, mostly from French but also from people of other countries (especially Viêt Nam). In this paper, we would like to present and discuss some of these results, especially concerning the management of forest plantations, which could more generally concern social-ecological systems. Opinions are divided about these plantations, particularly about the link with biodiversity and the desired change of the area of forest plantations. Even so, a majority of respondents think that some measures are needed to improve these plantations. They prefer plantations, with a more “natural” aspect, and thus they are more in favor of extensive management. Different measures were proposed and the ones, with the most votes, were in fact favoring the growth of the understorey vegetation but also promoting agroforestry, using less chemicals and mixing species. It could be interesting to continue this study more specifically in the Garden Route area, where forest plantations are largely present, to think about ways, which would be more appropriate to the local context, to contribute to improve the management of such social-ecological systems