Communes forestières Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

What Communes forestières Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes does

Communes forestières Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes is a French non-profit association (loi 1901) headquartered in Chambéry, operating as the regional union of the national Fédération Nationale des Communes Forestières (FNCOFOR, founded 1933). It federates 11 departmental associations covering the 12 departments of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region and represents nearly 1,000 member communes and intercommunalities that own or are concerned with public forest, across the Alps and Massif Central massifs. Its core activities are training elected officials (delivered free to members via the Institut de Formation Forestière Communale), technical and financial engineering support for territorial forest projects, advocacy and representation with public authorities, and production of publications and educational programs (pedagogical forests, Spectacle-débat theatrical events, regional newsletter Lettre Info). It does not build technology products; its proprietary assets are institutional relationships, the QUALIOPI-certified training franchise, the interactive Référentiel des aides forestières funding directory, and territorial forest charter (Charte Forestière de Territoire) coordination under national forest law.

Its business model combines two revenue streams: (1) recurring subscription revenue from annual membership fees (cotisations) set independently by each of the 11 departmental associations, which also confers automatic membership in the national FNCOFOR federation; and (2) project-based public funding from European (FEDER, FEADER), national (FNADT, ANCT), regional (Région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes), and departmental (notably Département de l'Isère) sources, with individual project budgets documented in the hundreds of thousands of euros (e.g., €389,186.91 for the 2024-2025 Alpine forest strategy) up to multi-million euros for major multi-partner programs. Go-to-market is community-led and member-based: collectivities join via municipal council deliberation, adhesion form submission, and designation of titular and substitute representatives, with local delivery executed through departmental associations.

Name

Communes forestières Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Legal name

Union régionale des Associations des Communes forestières de la Région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Website

https://communesforestieres-aura.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1933

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Communes forestières Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes is the regional union of 11 departmental forestry associations federating nearly 1,000 member communes across the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. It provides elected-official training, technical and financial engineering support, and advocacy on public-forest policy under the national FNCOFOR federation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Forestry Association Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Support Activities for Forestry (1153)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Forestry & Reforestation (BPAGAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Forest Ecosystem Services & Carbon/Conservation Programs (AFAMAAAJ)

Keywords

• Communal forest management
• Forestry association services
• Elected official training
• Territorial forest planning
• Wood sector support

Headquarters

HQ city

Chambéry

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership fees (cotisations): Annual membership fees set by each departmental association. Once a member, the commune/collectivity becomes a member of the National Federation of Forest Communes (Fédération Nationale des Communes Forestières).
2. Public funding and subsidies: The organization receives public funding from European, national, regional, and departmental sources for various programs including forest management, wood construction, and environmental projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Communes forestières Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes is a member-based non-profit association that supports communes and local authorities in the management of public forests, delivering training for elected officials, technical and financial engineering for forest-wood projects, advocacy with public authorities, and coordination of territorial forest strategies across 11 departments. Its core activities cover forest land management, wood construction support with certified local wood (Bois des Alpes), wildfire risk prevention, wood commercialization, mountain forest management, and educational outreach to schools and the general public.

Product overview

Communes forestières Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes operates as a network organization providing a comprehensive suite of services to municipal elected officials across 11 departmental associations and nearly 1000 member local authorities. The core offering centers on training programs for elected officials (offered free for members through IFFC partnership), forest land management, wood construction support with certified local wood (Bois des Alpes, Bois des Territoires du Massif Central), forest access infrastructure, wildfire risk management, wood commercialization, environmental services, and territorial forest planning. Additional services include pedagogical forests, theatrical debate performances for public education, an interactive forest aid directory, and regional newsletters. The organization also coordinates mountain forest management for Alpine and Massif Central territories, supports energy transition through biomass solutions, and facilitates territorial forest charters.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Formation aux élus (Elected-Official Training)
• Bois construction (Wood Construction Support)
• Foncier forestier (Forest Land Management)
• Desserte forestière (Forest Access Infrastructure)
• Risque incendie (Wildfire Risk Management)
• Commercialisation des bois (Wood Sales and Marketing Support)
• Pédagogie et accueil du public (Educational Outreach)
• Gestion forestière (Sustainable Forest Management)
• Transition énergétique (Energy Transition Support)
• Chartes forestières de territoires (Territorial Forest Charters)
• Forêt de montagne (Mountain Forest Management)
• Référentiel des aides forestières (Forest Aid Directory)
• Lettre d'information (Newsletter)
• Dans 1000 communes la forêt fait école (Forest Education Program)

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 210,000 trees renewed through 'Un arbre un habitant' program in Isère (2022-2025)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• ONF (Office National des Forêts)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerONF is the key operational partner for forest management. Together they publish aid directories, conduct training, and implement joint projects including the Convention FNCOFOR-ONF 2022-2025. ONF provides technical expertise on communal forest management.
• Institut de Formation Forestière Communale (IFFC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFFC is the training organism of the National Federation of Forest Communes, providing training to elected officials and employees of member organizations. The regional union coordinates with IFFC for training delivery.
• Fédération Nationale des Communes Forestières (FNCOFOR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe national federation connects all levels of collectivities owning forests or concerned with forest valorization. Created in 1933, it represents 6000 collectivities (60% of communal forest area) and carries common values at national scale.
• Bois des AlpescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCertification program for wood from Alpine forests ensuring 100% traceability from forest to construction. Partners on the 2024-2025 project for Alpine forest strategy implementation with EU, State, and Region funding (389,186.91€ budget).
• Parc Naturel Régional Livradois-ForezmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in PACTE Forêt-Z project (2024-2025) bringing together 9 structures for climate adaptation dialogue and territorial forest management planning.
• LPO (Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental partner in PACTE Forêt-Z project focused on biodiversity preservation in forest management.
• FNE (France Nature Environnement)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental partner in PACTE Forêt-Z project bringing environmental NGO perspective to forest climate adaptation dialogue.
• CNPF (Centre National de la Propriété Forestière)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical partner for forest management expertise, involved in PACTE Forêt-Z project and 'Un arbre un habitant' program for private forests.
• Département de l'IsèremajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMain funder of 'Un arbre un habitant en Isère' program with 10 million euros budget for forest adaptation to climate change.
• ENSACFminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in SANA incubator wood sector days with Communes forestières AURA, Fibois AURA, and BTMC.
• Fibois Auvergne-Rhône-AlpesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional wood sector federation partner for wood construction initiatives and sector days.
• Réseau Alpin de la Forêt de Montagne (RAFM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlpine network for mountain forest management, supported by European Union (FEDER), State (FNADT), and Region funding.
• UCFF (Union des Communes Forestières de France)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational union partner in PACTE Forêt-Z climate adaptation project.
• DREAL Auvergne-Rhône-AlpesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional environmental authority leading the Protected Areas strategy 2021-2030.
• Fonds de Dotations QuartusminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation partner in wood sector days and 'Territoire de ressources' program.
• Les Grands AteliersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture and design partner in wood sector events.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Office National des Forêts (ONF): The French state forest operator managing public forests and providing technical expertise for communal forest management. Core strategic partner (Convention FNCOFOR-ONF 2022-2025) and the dominant executing body for the same communes the association advises.
• Centre National de la Propriété Forestière (CNPF): Public body supporting private forest owners, with regional delegations including CNPF AURA. Provides forest management expertise and co-funds programs like 'Un arbre un habitant', making it a structural partner/peer on the technical forestry advisory side.
• Fédération Nationale des Communes Forestières (FNCOFOR): The national federation of communal forest associations, founded in 1933, representing ~6,000 collectivities covering 60% of France's communal forest area. The parent body of Communes forestières AURA and the upstream coordinator for training, advocacy, and partnerships with ONF and CNPF.

Emerging players

• Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux (LPO): Major French biodiversity NGO, allied partner in PACTE Forêt-Z. Comparable as another environmental member/nonprofit operating in AURA on adjacent wildlife-and-habitat advocacy that increasingly overlaps with forest management issues.
• France Nature Environnement (FNE): France's largest environmental federation, an allied partner on the PACTE Forêt-Z project. Adjacent NGO advocacy player operating in parallel on biodiversity/climate issues that intersect with the association's territorial forest mandate.

Direct peers

• Réseau Alpin de la Forêt de Montagne (RAFM): Alpine mountain-forest network coordinating mountain forest management across the Alps with EU/FEDER, FNADT, and Region co-funding. Direct peer on the mountain forestry sub-segment with overlapping funding sources and policy goals.

Regional players

• Fibois Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes: Regional wood-sector interprofessional federation covering AURA. Closely allied partner (joint wood-construction SANA incubator days, BTMC events), acting as the industry counterpart to the communes' association on the wood-processing side of the value chain.
• Communes forestières PACA: Sister regional union covering Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur under the same FNCOFOR umbrella. Direct structural peer operating in another mountain-forest region with the same membership-based model and training/advocancy mandate.
• Communes forestières Nouvelle-Aquitaine: Another sister regional union of the FNCOFOR network, this one covering Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Same association model, departmental substructure, elected-official focus, and forest-wood sector training portfolio.

Others

• Bois des Alpes: Alpine-wood traceability and certification program (100% forest-to-construction) for which Communes forestières AURA is a structural delivery partner on the 2024-2025 EU-funded Alpine forest strategy. Ecosystem participant enabling the downstream wood-construction value chain the association promotes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/coforaura
• Facebookfacebook.com/coforaura
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/coforaura

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Communes forestières Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes