Several environmental defense associations announced, Wednesday June 3, 2026, that they had filed a complaint on May 12, 2026, after tree cutting in the Bois de Castille in Uzès in the Gard. The site is classified as a protected wooded area and also houses a Neolithic oppidum.
In a press release published Wednesday, June 3, the associations announced that they had filed a complaint with the public prosecutor, on May 12, 2026, after tree cutting in the Bois de Castille, in Uzès. The action was carried out by the Sorève association, France Nature Environnement Occitanie-Méditerranee and the National Tree Surveillance Group. The associations denounce deforestation carried out without authorization on a protected site.
The land concerned is located at a place called Le Grand Mas, southwest of Uzès. The woods are approximately 9 hectares and, according to the associations, work has affected almost half of the site since the beginning of January. The area is however classified as a classified wooded area. This classification strongly limits logging and prohibits any change in land use.
The work was carried out without any planning permission
Association Sorève, France Nature Environnement Occitanie-Méditerranée and National Tree Surveillance Group
They also denounce a request for regularization filed after the start of the cuts. In their press release, they consider this situation surprising. “Apart from the fact that it is surprising to file a preliminary request after the work, this rejection calls for repair”they write.
According to the municipal decree, dating from January 8, 2026, which we obtained, two elected officials from the town hall went to the site on January 7. The document indicates that the owner had undertaken “major tree cutting and felling work” on the plots. This work aimed, according to the order, to create “a forest service against fires”. But the plots are located in the natural zone of the local town planning plan. They are also in a classified wooded area and in an area where archaeological regulations are presumed.
The town hall therefore considered that this work had been undertaken “without having made a prior declaration request”. She gave notice to the owner “to interrupt immediately” cutting and felling. The municipal decree also recalls the archaeological importance of the place. He specifies that the archaeological map of Gard identifies “the presence of a protohistoric oppidum dating from the 5th century BC.”.
Work likely to irreversibly alter the remarkable natural and historical elements of the site.
Jean-Luc Chapon – mayor of Uzès
Still according to the decree, this oppidum has not yet been searched. The town hall presents it as “a major archaeological site”. Elected officials also felt that the work could damage the site in a lasting manner.
For associations, this file goes beyond just Bois de Castille. They see it as an example of the threats facing forest areas in Uzège. They warn of pressures linked to certain industrial, energy or agricultural projects. They also point out the risks of downgrading protected wooded areas.
“The conduct of deforestation in the Bois de Castille reveals the little regard that some people have for measures to protect natural heritage”they write. The associations are now demanding that the courts examine the case. They want to have the shortcomings that they say they have identified recognized and obtain compensation.
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