French Initiative Connects Students with Farming to Advance Ecological Goals

The association Des Enfants et des Arbres, founded in 2020 by filmmaker Marie-France Barrier, promotes a progressive educational approach linking students directly with agricultural practices. This initiative operates as a civic and pedagogical action, officially recognized by the French National Education system, requiring younger generations to participate in planting trees alongside professional farmers on cultivated land.

The core objective is to cultivate civic engagement, foster a necessary connection between children and food producers, and actively support the expansion of agroforestry systems and the reinstatement of hedgerows across the French landscape. This commitment to ecological stewardship and societal connection is framed by the association's guiding pillars: "Humus – Humanity – Humility," a structure intended to bridge the gap between civil society and the agricultural sector.

The tangible impact of the program is substantial: by the conclusion of winter 2026, the project anticipates that nearly 28,000 children will have participated, assisting 567 farmers in planting a cumulative total of 200,000 trees nationwide. This effort directly addresses the historical removal of natural barriers, as approximately 750,000 km of hedgerows were eliminated in France since 1945 due to land consolidation and the expansion of intensive cereal farming, contributing to local biodiversity loss.

An event illustrating this synergy occurred on February 19, 2026, at the farm of Enzo Rodriguez in Rivesaltes, involving elementary students from the Joseph-Sébastien Pons-Rivesaltes school. Such hands-on participation promotes the understanding that agroforestry, which integrates trees with crops or livestock, is a critical component in transitioning toward more resilient and restorative agricultural methods. Research supports this, indicating that agroforestry can enhance overall productivity compared to monocultures, with some studies showing a 40% productivity increase on a mixed walnut/wheat hectare over separated cultivation.

Trees within these systems sequester between 1 and 4 tonnes of carbon per hectare annually, positioning agroforestry as a viable tool for meeting climate mitigation targets. The long-term vision for Des Enfants et des Arbres is to facilitate the planting of 25,000 km of new hedges annually by 2050 to align with objectives set by the Paris Agreement. Hedgerows and agroforestry plots deliver multiple ecosystem services, including limiting soil erosion, improving water quality, providing wildlife shelter, and diversifying farm income streams through timber production.

By involving students, the association aims to nurture a generation confident in its ability to drive environmental change while simultaneously supporting farmers who are diversifying their economic models and enhancing the ecological health of their land. The concept of 'Humus, Humanity, Humility' reflects the deep interdependence between the soil, human existence, and the respect required for the earth that sustains both agriculture and civilization.