Summary
The Paulownia Project in Peyrilhac, France, is a regenerative afforestation initiative converting former agricultural land into a high-yield, fast-growing Paulownia plantation. Using the sterile hybrid Phoenix One®, the project aims to produce bio-based materials for the wood industry while sequestering atmospheric carbon. The project’s cultivation approach follows sustainable forestry principles, including staggered harvests, minimal inputs, and high biomass utilization. As a proof-of-concept for scalable carbon removals, it supports climate goals while fostering local economic development.
About the Remover
The project is led by Philippe Savignard, an aerospace engineer turned sustainability entrepreneur and CEO of PSD Conseil. Philippe brings technical and strategic expertise to low-carbon transition projects. The initiative is co-managed by Béatrice Savignard, an experienced independent sales and marketing professional. Together, they oversee project development, stakeholder coordination, and community engagement.
Their company, PSD Conseil, manages all aspects of project implementation, from plantation to GHG tracking. The project partners with:
Arbre Paulownia (France) – Exclusive distributor of Phoenix One® trees and cultivation support.
WeGrow CropTec GmbH (Germany) – Supplier of the Paulownia clones.
KiriTec GmbH – Biomass purchaser and wood processor.
GAEC des Pâquerettes – Local contractor for field preparation and maintenance.
The team owns the 6.2-hectare land outright, eliminating tenure risks. 5 hectares are used for planting, avoiding nearby forest margins and exclusion zones. Initial planting occurred in 2024 (2 ha), with a second wave planned for 2025 (3 ha), totaling 4,040 Phoenix One® Paulownia trees.
Key characteristics of the project include:
Use of non-invasive, sterile Paulownia clones with high carbon uptake.
Optimized planting density (800–820 trees/ha) and light-maximizing layout.
Intermediate and final harvests improving trunk quality and biomass yield.
Organic soil amendments, manual planting, and low-energy drip irrigation systems.
The project complies with French environmental regulations, having passed a formal pre-assessment that exempted it from full-scale EIA. It is expected to store carbon durably, with harvest residues, crown wood, and sawdust processed for further biobased uses.
This project aims to create long-term carbon sinks, support biodiversity, and generate sustainable rural livelihoods.