The Demise of the Plane Trees

Paintings of the Canal du Midi often depict beautiful plane trees along the banks of the canal, arching over the water, creating an idealized image. These trees are one of the reasons that the Canal du Midi is so pretty, offering attractive and comfortable navigation under a cool canopy.

The fast-growing plane trees were added in the 1830’s to strengthen the banks of the canal as well as to provide shade from the relentless sun and to serve as a windbreak for boats plying the canal.

Unfortunately, a microscopic fungus has attacked the plane trees, killing thousands of them over the last 15 years. The microscopic fungus exclusively attacks plane trees. The fungus penetrates to the heart of the healthy tree and can kill it within 6 months to 3 years. It is thought that the fungus was introduced in France in 1945 by infected ammunition boxes from WWII. Boats bumping into trees are also thought to have contributed to the spread of the fungus; a simple injury can infect a tree. It is feared that all 42,000 plane trees along the 250 km Canal du Midi will eventually have to be removed. Efforts are being made to replace the lost plane trees with other species of trees.

Plane tree stumps are now seen along the banks of the Canal du Midi

To stop the pandemic, measures have been taken to fell the plane trees in the worst affected area. Planting new species of trees along the banks is on-going. These new trees are chosen for their characteristics similar to the plane tree, including the famous canopy effect. The criteria for selecting a tree species includes the ability to develop along the water’s edge, are non-vulnerable to parasites, adapt to a wide range of soil types, and of significant height. Trees

New tree species planted along the Canal du Midi

meeting the criteria include Turkey Oak, White Poplar, Umbrella Pine, Mediterranean Cyprus, and Aleppo Pine to name a few.
A public appeal for funds to replace the plane trees went out in 2013, resulting in a positive response which began the replanting project. Those wishing to make a donation can go to www.replantonslecanaldumidi.fr.