France – Services incidental to forestry – CIGRPFI00001716 | CMHM - Silvicultural compensation

Opportunity description

As part of the Cigéo project (a reversible deep geological disposal facility for high-level (HA) and long-lived intermediate-level (MA-VL) radioactive waste), Andra will have to undertake land-clearing operations that will require the implementation of compensatory measures in accordance with Article L.341-6 of the French Forestry Code. Among the three possible methods of compensation, Andra wished to prioritize the reforestation of more than 280 ha near the Cigéo Disposal Facility to compensate for the impacts on the forestry sector. It was therefore decided to divide the contract into several technical and geographical lots: 4 services in 4 areas, i.e. 16 lots. Lots 1 to 4 = Surface mulching and soil preparation (285 Ha) Lots 5 to 8 = Supply and installation of fencing and individual protection Lots 9 to 12 = Supply and planting of 411,150 seedlings Lots 13 to 16 = Seedling maintenance, 2 visits in N+1 and N+3 The purpose of this service is to carry out the preparatory work prior to planting. The areas to be reforested that have been harvested will be mulched and soil work will be carried out to enable two types of planting: full-area planting or enrichment planting in patches. The expected service comprises two tasks:  Task 1: surface mulching; For sites to be fully reforested, the contractor shall carry out mechanized mulching in rows 2.5 m wide. Each row shall be spaced 3 m apart, leaving an unmulched strip of 0.5 m. Mulching must be carried out at ground level to minimize forest weeds, logging residues and protruding stumps. The mulch resulting from the operation shall be kept on the surface without incorporation. Before its mulching operation, the contractor shall stake/mark each row while respecting the reforestation boundaries previously marked out by Andra or one of its representatives. The contractor must preserve the environmentally sensitive areas and the elements to be retained (habitat trees, clusters of trees, etc.) that have been indicated to it. Machinery shall access the sites on load-bearing ground to prevent rutting and compaction, according to the soil’s sensitivity to compaction and its moisture condition. For enrichment reforestation sites at a rate of 50 patches per hectare, the contractor must carry out manual clearing or mechanized mulching at the previously marked patches, each covering 5 m x 5 m = 25 m². This operation must remove forest weeds and logging residues to facilitate soil preparation. Before its mulching/clearing operation, the contractor shall stake/mark each patch while respecting the reforestation boundaries previously marked out by Andra or one of its representatives. The contractor must preserve the environmentally sensitive areas and the elements to be retained (habitat trees, clusters of trees, etc.) that have been indicated to it. Access to the patches shall only be via the existing extraction lanes.  Task 2: soil work; For full-area reforestation sites, two soil-preparation techniques are recommended depending on the initial condition of the plots and soil sensitivity, it being understood that in both cases they must be carried out in rows spaced 3 meters apart, with seedlings spaced 1.7 meters apart within each row:  Subsoiling / Plowing For the majority of sites (specified for each site), the contractor shall prepare the soil by making a row-wise pass with a winged subsoiling tine (cultivator-subsoiler or equivalent) to a minimum depth of 40 cm (which may be reduced on sites with significant stoniness) in order to loosen the compacted soil and possibly facilitate drainage. The contractor shall regularly raise the subsoiling tine every 20 to 25 meters to limit the use of the furrow by rodents when digging tunnels. Before its mulching/clearing operation, the contractor shall stake/mark each patch while respecting the reforestation boundaries previously marked out by Andra or one of its representatives. Plowing may be used on certain sites and according to the species to be planted. The treated areas shall be strictly limited to prevent flora inversion. It shall be carried out with a cover crop disc harrow or equivalent tool.  Pit cultivation The contractor shall preferably apply this technique on sites where:  The row lengths are short (small site area, or depending on the geometric shape of the site);  The layer of mulch is substantial (excessive spreading of the mulch layer);  Obstacles are frequent (retention of habitat trees or unharvested islands, for example). The pits shall be created using a cultivator-subsoiling tine or equivalent tool with a mechanical excavator weighing between 2.5 and 8 tonnes. The tine shall work the soil without turning it over (in closed worked pits without extraction, inversion of soil horizons or bringing stones to the surface) in order to loosen compacted soil and break it up over an average volume 60 cm wide, 60 cm long and 60 cm deep (depending on soil stoniness). On enrichment planting sites using patches (50 per hectare), the contractor shall apply a single pit-based soil-preparation technique at a rate of 9 seedlings per patch, i.e. 450 seedlings per hectare. The pits shall be created using a cultivator-subsoiling tine or equivalent tool with a mechanical excavator weighing between 2.5 and 8 tonnes. The tine shall work the soil without turning it over (in closed worked pits without extraction, inversion of soil horizons or bringing stones to the surface) in order to loosen compacted soil and break it up over an average volume 60 cm wide, 60 cm long and 60 cm deep (depending on soil stoniness). The purpose of this service includes the supply and installation of planting protection. The areas to be protected will have been harvested and mulched beforehand to allow the protection to be installed according to the reforestation method, whether full-area or enrichment planting in patches. The expected service comprises two tasks according to the type of reforestation:  Task 1: Supply and installation of perimeter fencing for full-area reforestation areas The mandatory objective of this structure is to prevent the intrusion of large game (red deer, roe deer, wild boar) in order to ensure the survival and development of young forest seedlings by protecting them against browsing, fraying and rooting. The contract includes all of the following services:  Supply and transport to the site of all materials (wire mesh, posts, struts, gate, fastening and closing accessories). The wire mesh, posts and struts must provide extreme mechanical resistance capable of absorbing impacts from moving large game.  Preparation and clearing of the fence alignment.  Setting out, driving or drilling, and wedging of the posts.  Excavation of the trench necessary for burying the anti-burrowing wire mesh.  Installation, mechanical tensioning and tying of the wire mesh.  Supply, assembly and complete installation of the 5-meter-wide gate. The fence shall include at least one access point for logging and forestry-work machinery  Cleaning and clearing the worksite upon completion of the work.  Task 2: Supply and installation of individual protection (sleeve and stake) for enrichment planting in patches These devices are intended to protect the planting against browsing and fraying by game (hares, rabbits, roe deer) while creating a microclimate conducive to seedling establishment during their first years. The protection must be installed rigorously to ensure that the system remains effective throughout the critical protection period for the seedlings. The contract includes all of the following services:  Supply and transport to the site of all equipment.  Preparation and clearing of the area where the protection will be installed.  Installation of stakes and protective equipment This service includes the supply of seedlings and their planting. The areas concerned by the planting will have been prepared beforehand by passing a winged subsoiler (or equivalent technique) along the planting rows for full-area reforestation or by pit cultivation for enrichment reforestation. The density per hectare for full-area planting is 1,600 seedlings and 450 seedlings for enrichment planting in patches of 9 specimens, at a rate of 50 patches per hectare. The boundaries of the areas to be reforested and the patches shall be marked with colored stakes. Staking out the planting rows is the contractor’s responsibility. One or more species have been defined for each site. The number of seedlings and their distribution are established by lot and by site. Subject to obtaining environmental authorization, the reforestation work will begin in October 2028 and must be completed in March 2034. The expected service comprises two tasks:  Task 1: Supply of seedlings; The seedlings must come from nurseries subject to health inspections, approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and registered in the register of suppliers of Forest Reproductive Material. The seedlings must comply with the regulations in force established by the Ministry of Agriculture and meet the specifications of the Grand-Est Forest Reproductive Material (MFR) Order (MFR Order of the Grand Region of January 1, 2021 and the amending orders of July 4, 2023 and March 6, 2026). The contractor must also consult the regularly updated INRAE advisory sheets showing the current and authorized provenances in the Grand-Est region. The contractor must ensure the availability of the preferred provenances from seed producers before signing the contract for this service. The contractor must clearly specify the species or type of seedlings that are unavailable. It may propose one or more alternatives to the project manager. The use of substitute species must remain limited. Bare-root seedlings, grown for 2 years, must have been undercut or transplanted. They must be packaged and delivered in bags and systematically identified (labels, markings, separation of batches), with no mixing between similar species or between provenances. Seedlings packaged and delivered in pots must not have spent more than one season in the same pot, except for the genus abies, which may have spent two seasons. The maximum height of the above-ground portion is limited to 4 times that of the pot for broadleaves, maritime pine and Douglas fir, and 3 times for the other broadleaves. Subject to validation of the experimental protocol, a trial involving opalus maple could be conducted. The characteristics will be specified to the contractor where applicable. As soon as they are removed from the nursery, the seedlings shall be sheltered from the sun and wind. They must be transported in enclosed or covered vehicles, particularly in order to maintain adequate moisture in the bare roots. Every precaution shall be taken to prevent the seedlings from being crushed during transport, to retain as many roots as possible and to avoid damaging the above-ground portion. Delivery shall be made directly to the worksites from Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays, periods of frost and periods of desiccating wind. It shall take place no more than 48 hours before the scheduled planting date for bare-root plants and no more than four (4) days beforehand for container-grown plants. The seedlings shall preferably be delivered by the nursery operator. It must ensure that the resources it will deploy are compatible with the delivery locations, particularly regarding the means of transport used in relation to access to the delivery site and the equipment intended for unloading.  Task 2: Planting the seedlings Planting work shall begin in the autumn following Andra’s receipt of the land-clearing authorization. (forecast date October 2028). It shall be spread over 5 years. To provide a safety margin and cope with climatic contingencies, the volumes to be planted during the first three years shall be greater than during the final two years, at a rate of 25% / year of the total area to be planted for the first 3 years, then 12.5% for each of the final two years, during which uncompleted volumes may be carried over. This indicative annual ratio shall be adapted according to favorable or unfavorable weather conditions. Species whose nursery production period does not exceed 2 years shall be planted as a priority. The contractor shall ensure the availability of seedlings in the preferred region of provenance, particularly sessile oak, which represents 30% of the total number of seedlings, and Atlas cedar, which represents 20%, spreading their planting over 5 planting years if necessary. Planting shall take place from October to March, outside periods of frost or drought, depending on climatic conditions. For bare-root seedlings, worksite supply shall be calibrated so that the seedlings are not heeled in for more than 20 days. The seedlings must be constantly protected from desiccation and game-related risks. A team must be present on site at the time of receipt to heel them in quickly. The seedlings shall be heeled in so as to protect them from sun and frost. Bundles of seedlings shall be untied and the soil thoroughly compacted, with mandatory watering. For container-grown seedlings, careful attention must be paid to the moisture condition of the root balls. Watering the seedlings shall be the nursery operator’s responsibility throughout the period between their receipt and planting. The purpose of the services is the maintenance of young plantations on the reforestation plots. The main objective is to eliminate competing vegetation (herbaceous and woody) in order to ensure the survival and proper development of the young seedlings while respecting the forest environment, fauna and soils. The services are divided into two separate tasks according to the types of reforestation:  Task 1: For full-area reforestation: Mechanical inter-row rotary cutting and clearing around young seedlings; Mechanical inter-row rotary cutting is intended to control overall vegetation between the planting rows while maintaining refuge areas for biodiversity:  Working width: Rotary cutting must be carried out over a strict width of 2.50 meters at a height of 5 cm above the ground.  Pass procedures: As the spacing between planting rows is 3 meters, the contractor must make a single pass in every other inter-row space. Untreated inter-row spaces must remain intact.  Performance period: The operation must imperatively be carried out in the autumn. This timing requirement is intended to minimize the impact on wildlife (after nesting and breeding periods).  Soil preservation and respect for the environment: * The contractor must use equipment suited to the forest environment (limited ground pressure) to prevent any soil compaction or rutting.  Work shall be suspended during heavy rainfall if the soil is deemed too soft by the Contracting Authority.  The operator must take care not to damage the branches or root systems of trees in adjacent rows. Manual clearing around seedlings, an ultra-selective operation, is intended to remove immediate competing vegetation around each tree:  Identification: Operators will be required to take particular care to locate the seedlings (sometimes hidden by vegetation) before clearing.  Technique: The work shall be performed manually using a portable petrol/electric brush cutter (with a suitable cutting tool, such as a grass blade or string head, depending on the nature of the vegetation).  Scope of work: Methodical clearing must be carried out at the foot of each seedling, over a sufficient radius to restore light and vital space to it.  Absolute preservation of seedlings: The contractor has an obligation to achieve a result regarding the survival of the seedlings during this operation. Any seedling that is cut, injured, stripped of bark or uprooted shall be regarded as a contractual breach and may be subject to a penalty or an obligation for the contractor to replace it at its own expense.  Performance period: The operation must imperatively be carried out in the autumn. This timing requirement is intended to minimize the impact on wildlife (after nesting and breeding periods).  Task 2: For enrichment reforestation: Mechanical rotary cutting of extraction lanes, clearing around young seedlings and repositioning of protection. Mechanical rotary cutting of extraction lanes is intended to maintain the former extraction lanes in order to facilitate access to the enrichment reforestation patches while maintaining refuge areas for biodiversity:  Working width: Rotary cutting must be carried out over a strict width of 2.50 meters at a height of 5 cm above the ground.  Pass procedures: The spacing between the extraction lanes is approximately 18 m; the contractor must make a single pass.  Performance period: The operation must imperatively be carried out in the autumn. This timing requirement is intended to minimize the impact on wildlife (after nesting and breeding periods).  Soil preservation and respect for the environment: * The contractor must use equipment suited to the forest environment (limited ground pressure) to prevent any soil compaction or rutting.  Work shall be suspended during heavy rainfall if the soil is deemed too soft by the Contracting Authority.  The operator must take care not to damage the branches or root systems of trees in adjacent rows. Manual clearing around seedlings, an ultra-selective operation, is intended to remove immediate competing vegetation around each tree:  Identification: Operators will be required to take particular care to locate the seedlings (sometimes hidden by vegetation) before clearing.  Technique: The work shall be performed manually using a portable petrol/electric brush cutter (with a suitable cutting tool, such as a grass blade or string head, depending on the nature of the vegetation).  Scope of work: Methodical clearing must be carried out at the foot of each seedling, over a sufficient radius to restore light and vital space to it.  Absolute preservation of seedlings and protection: The contractor has an obligation to achieve a result regarding the survival of the seedlings during this operation. Any seedling that is cut, injured, stripped of bark or uprooted shall be regarded as a contractual breach and may be subject to a penalty or an obligation for the contractor to replace it at its own expense. It must check the condition of the individual protection and, if necessary, reposition it when damaged.  Performance period: The operation must imperatively be carried out in the autumn. This timing requirement is intended to minimize the impact on wildlife (after nesting and breeding periods). These two tasks are to be carried out twice after the planting year:  1st visit: year N +1  2nd visit: year N +3 Procedure: restricted. Review the original TED notice for the complete requirement, lots, amendments and attachments.