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Seven projects have been kicked off or continued in 2025 as part of the partnership between TotalEnergies Foundation and the ONF Endowment Fund-Agir pour la Forêt

TotalEnergies Foundation has contributed to the endowment fund ONF-Agir pour la Forêt since its creation. As part of the three-year agreement that binds the two foundations until 2026, seven initiatives have been chosen for 2025 to meet the objectives assigned to TotalEnergies Foundation and the ONF Endowment fund-Agir pour la Forêt: to preserve coastal forests and their biodiversity, introduce young people to these ecosystems and raise their awareness of how to protect them; and promote the social and professional inclusion of young people in vulnerable situations.

Published on 24/06/2025
2 min reading time
  • Acting against invasive species: prickly pear in the firing line at Sète. This exotic plant is classified as an invasive exotic species and colonizes natural areas, competing with local flora and rare species. Actions to uproot the plants in the state-owned forest in Sète, led in partnership with structures that work for professional inclusion, are planned to help restore the natural habitats and preserve the balance of the ecosystems. The campaign also aims to alert the public to the issue of invasive exotic species.
  • Protecting heritage flora against invasive exotic species in the state-owned forest of the Île Sainte-Marguerite. This site is home to rare Mediterranean natural environments and is a true refuge for the remarkable flora and fauna in this region. In order to maintain a sound ecological condition for this ecosystem, actions are being taken to uproot exotic species such as Creeping Groundsel, Cape Ivy, and African boxthorn, in particular on the Batéguier Pond. These actions will help improve conditions for receiving the public and raise awareness among young high-school students about the issue of invasive exotic species.
  • Dune management work continues at the Pointe de Capbreton in the Landes region. With the aim of comparing different coastline management methods in collaboration with the Conservatoire du Littoral, the ONF began work in 2024 to cut treetops and cover areas with branches. An area has been reserved so that a class of agricultural and horticultural apprentices can work to lay the branches and learn about dune management. Work to plant trees, clean up and install signs is planned for 2025.
  • Continuation of the project to acquire more in-depth knowledge of the development of dune ecosystems on the Atlantic coast (ADUCHA 2) using remote sensing, a logical next step after ADUCHA 1. In 2024, a pre-study of environmental habitats was undertaken to validate the methodologies and think about the scale of the project. The data from ADUCHA 1 were analyzed and the first images have been acquired and validated. In 2025, tests to grow dune vegetation in nurseries are due to be run.
  • In Mayotte, at the top of the watershed, a 7 ha area of land continues to be reforested. The project has multiple objectives, in particular contributing to the protection of soil on steep slopes from erosion, restoring flow to waterways, creating conditions for water supply to a dam and fighting against invasive species by planting local tree varieties chosen to help adapt to climate change. In 2024, ground preparation work (removing vines and creepers, opening up the canopy, clearing brushwood) was done. Eight different species of trees have also been planted. Upkeep of the land and events for school-goers are to be programmed. In the wake of cyclone Chido, the ONF led a diagnostic phase. With support from TotalEnergies Foundation, a 4 ha state-owned area of land, adjacent to the first, will also undergo reforestation.
  • The inventory of the beetle population in the dunes of the Vendee coast, which began in 2023 is to continue, the aim being to issue recommendations for dune management (footfall, beach cleaning, the presence of driftwood, etc.). For the 2023/2024 academic year, the partnership signed with the ONF enabled first-year BTS (GPN) Nature Management and Conservation students to become involved in insect collection campaigns and raise their awareness of the fragile nature of the dune environment. The partnership has been renewed for 2024/2025. In 2025, the project aims to continue and finalize the protocol to monitor dune insects.