The Forêt usagère is a private forest subjected to a specific scheme of constraint. There were 3 forests usagères in France, in the Landes of Gascogne: with Arcachon, Tests It of Buch and Biscarrosse.

Only the forest usagère of Teste resisted the time proof.

Forest usagère of Tests It of Buch

It extends on 3800 hectares in the middle of the commune. It is about one of rare the natural forest of the Landes of Gascogne; it has been exploited for the resin for more than 2000 years. This forest is not exploited within the framework of sylviculture, which gives him a very particular face, that one nowhere does not find elsewhere in the forest landaise. The inhabitants residing for more than ten years on the communes of Gujan-Mestras and Has tested It (the borough, Cazaux and the Pyla) had the right to take the deadwood for the heating and of the green heart for the construction of houses or boats. Famous among the Aquitanian lawyers, it generated many conflicts of which some are always of topicality.

History

This statute was officialized in XVe century. The parishioners of Tests It, Cazaux and of Gujan (today Gujan Mestras) begged the Captal time: Jean de Foix-Grailly, to give them the use of the forest testerine in particular to collect the gem from which they drew the greatest resource. Thus the baillette of 1468 recognizes with the inhabitants the right to practice the gemmage (with the help of a royalty: the right gemaire), to collect the deadwood for the heating and to cut green heart to build, with the permission of Captal. The inhabitants are divided into two categories: the have-pines , owners of the pieces and having the right to extract the gem, and the not-have-pines enjoying the right on the deadwood and the green heart

A shy person trades of the extracted resin allows the enrichment of some merchants. The statute of the forest was threatened on several occasions: in 1535, Gaston de Foix, Captal de Buch, does not agree to renew the rights of use, unless seeing itself paying a money large sum. There be difficulties also in 1587 with the duke of Epernon, also Captal de Buch. In 1604, a transaction confirmed the acquired rights, realizing increase in the right gemaire and payment of 1200 pounds to Captal. The transactions of 1604 and 1645 precisely formulate the rights granted to the inhabitants. They all go in the direction of the safeguarding of the solid mass, the right of use must be practiced in " good father of famille" , while avoiding degrading the forest and by choosing the pines carefully to be cut down with officers of Captal. Moreover, the users must fight the fires.

Captaux of the family of Ruat, against the XVIIIe century again ran up against the inhabitants. They again yielded in 1746 front the pressure exerted by the syndics of the have-pines, which confirmed their right of owners of the ground. The not-have-pines left for account had to compose with the capacity increased of the have-pines and the right of use becomes difficult, even impossible, to practice. The power struggle was reversed, Captal is weakened and the have-pines triumph. A transaction of 1759 between have-pines and not-have-pines restores balance between the two parts. August 1st

Originalities of the forest testerine

Since the end of the Gemmage the forest is not exploited any more for its gem, and it little or is badly maintained: the résiniers who passer by of pine in pine achieved their work, cleaned the underwood and made there feed some animals. This main forest, very rich in flora and fauna shelters an invaluable but fragile ecosystem. On old pines the scars of the work of these gemmeurs remain visible who, from generation to generation, exploited this forest during more than 2000 years. Certain trees were " so much; résinés" that the pads of cicatrizations caused an important widening of the base of the trunk. One calls these pines of the " pines-bouteilles" because of their singular form. August 1st

Forest usagère of Arcachon

Today confined, it is entirely deprived, without right of use. August 1st

Forest usagère of Biscarrosse

This territory of 1000 hectares on the commune of Biscarrosse is inherited a remote history. In 1277, the future Edouard II, prince d' Aquitaine and of Wales, granted the right to biscarrossais of " paduenter their bestial large and small, to make hut and make slate, to make gum and resin, to sow village, to plant vine,… " In 1468, these rights of use were confirmed by the king Charles VIII. Henri II, Louis XIII, Louis XIV made in the same way, which was not taste of the local lords. A transaction of 1680 regulated the rights of uses clearly. The users have right, inter alia, to cut green heart for the masonries, to take seasoned wood and deadwood for the heating. Here as with Tests, the inhabitants were divided into two categories: have-pines, owners of the pieces, and not-have-pines, simple users.

Today confined, it is entirely deprived, without right of use.

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