The trail aims to promote the resonance spruce and the entire forestry sector that depends on it.
The Risoud forest in the Vallée de Joux spans more than 2,200 hectares. It is home to particularly slow-growing trees and operates on the principle of the gardened forest, whose aim is to ensure that the smallest possible area contains a diversity of trees at all stages of their development. The main species at Risoud is spruce, of which one tree in 10,000 has sought-after acoustic properties. The so-called “resonance spruce” – or Risoud's green gold – must grow in special conditions and meet very specific criteria. It must also be harvested and processed according to a rare ancestral knowledge.
Set up by the commune of Le Chenit, Vallée de Joux Tourisme and the Parc naturel régional Jura vaudois, the Risoud resonance wood learning trail aims to promote the resonance spruce and the entire forestry sector that depends on it. Many people are involved in the production and processing of this resource, including cantonal inspectors, forest rangers and resonance tree pickers, whose profession is listed as part of the Intangible Heritage and Living Traditions of the canton of Vaud.
The Risoud resonance wood didactic trail also aims to offer a welcome service in the forest, and to make the public aware of the rich and fragile biodiversity of Risoud and the importance of sustainable forest management. In addition, the project serves as an educational tool for teachers and pupils, as well as for the Parc naturel régional Jura vaudois staff, through a specially developed educational programme.
