Press
Restoring biodiversity while creating a space open to all generations
07/08/2026
Launched in June 2025, our environmental restoration project is entering a new phase and is finally coming to life on the ground. The newspaper La Montagne is featuring an article, on July 7, 2026, about the inauguration of this new outdoor learning space, which the students of the Viscomtat school have playfully named "Au cœur de l'arbre" ("The Heart of the Tree"). Born from the children's imagination, this name perfectly captures the spirit of the place: giving a second life to an uprooted tree to turn it into a living, educational, and unifying space at the heart of the village.
It all began with a storm that uprooted a magnificent oak tree in the town in June 2025. Rather than letting it disappear, several local stakeholders pooled their skills to give it a second life: the Viscomtat town hall, the primary school, the Noirétable forestry high school, and our Jean Dubost manufacture, alongside the environmental education department of Thiers Dore et Montagne. This success owes much to "Teacher Clémence," whose contagious enthusiasm inspired her class and brought partners together throughout the year, as well as to Mr. Darcon, whose commitment turned the project into a fantastic hands-on learning opportunity for his forestry high school students: together, they passionately shaped the wood to create outdoor desks and seating, while also building a pond, a true haven for local biodiversity.
The youngest students were not left out either: guided by their teacher and by Anaïs Le Gall from the Thiers Dore et Montagne department during nine outdoor classroom sessions, they discovered nature as a genuine classroom, helping their school earn the E3D label (school committed to sustainable development). For Jean Dubost, this achievement is a concrete reflection of our belief that a company's responsibility extends beyond the walls of its manufacture. Seeing this place today filled with the joy of children and a zero-waste picnic shared among students, families, and partners confirms that, one year after its creation, this project has succeeded in uniting an entire community around a shared ambition: restoring biodiversity while creating a space open to all generations. "The Heart of the Tree" has also become a spot where the Jean Dubost team enjoys some very pleasant lunch breaks. This wonderful adventure doesn't end here: come September, a new group of students will take over to keep this unique place thriving and growing. Thank you to everyone for this wonderful collective spirit!
It all began with a storm that uprooted a magnificent oak tree in the town in June 2025. Rather than letting it disappear, several local stakeholders pooled their skills to give it a second life: the Viscomtat town hall, the primary school, the Noirétable forestry high school, and our Jean Dubost manufacture, alongside the environmental education department of Thiers Dore et Montagne. This success owes much to "Teacher Clémence," whose contagious enthusiasm inspired her class and brought partners together throughout the year, as well as to Mr. Darcon, whose commitment turned the project into a fantastic hands-on learning opportunity for his forestry high school students: together, they passionately shaped the wood to create outdoor desks and seating, while also building a pond, a true haven for local biodiversity.
The youngest students were not left out either: guided by their teacher and by Anaïs Le Gall from the Thiers Dore et Montagne department during nine outdoor classroom sessions, they discovered nature as a genuine classroom, helping their school earn the E3D label (school committed to sustainable development). For Jean Dubost, this achievement is a concrete reflection of our belief that a company's responsibility extends beyond the walls of its manufacture. Seeing this place today filled with the joy of children and a zero-waste picnic shared among students, families, and partners confirms that, one year after its creation, this project has succeeded in uniting an entire community around a shared ambition: restoring biodiversity while creating a space open to all generations. "The Heart of the Tree" has also become a spot where the Jean Dubost team enjoys some very pleasant lunch breaks. This wonderful adventure doesn't end here: come September, a new group of students will take over to keep this unique place thriving and growing. Thank you to everyone for this wonderful collective spirit!
