Since 1991, the Yves Rocher Foundation has upheld a simple belief: planting a tree is already building the future. With the exhibition Guardians of the Living, presented at the La Gacilly Photo Festival, this commitment takes on a face through the lens of photographer Éric Garault.
For several months, Éric Garault accompanied the Yves Rocher Foundation teams at the heart of the projects it supports around the world. His photo essay shines a light on those he calls the “Guardians of the Living”: women and men who, often far from the spotlight, make trees a tool for ecological, social, and human regeneration.
Four territories, one shared fight From Togo to Ecuador, from the Netherlands to France, the photographer documents different realities connected by the same urgency: preserving the fragile balance of life.
Four territories, one single fight
In Togo, on the banks of the Zio River, tree planting helps slow soil erosion and protect farmland on which entire communities depend. There, trees become a natural barrier against climate vulnerability.
In the Netherlands, a country shaped by constant land-use pressure, every space reclaimed by nature represents a quiet yet essential victory for biodiversity.
In Ecuador, in the heart of the Amazon, the photo essay follows those who defend one of the planet’s most precious and threatened forests. Here, protecting trees also means defending a fundamental right: the right to live in a preserved environment.
In France, finally, as many farms disappear and pollinators decline at an alarming rate, new models are emerging. Farming practices are reinventing the place of trees in the landscape, restoring purpose to a more resilient form of agriculture.
Photographing hope
Photographing Hope Through his sensitive and deeply human approach, Éric Garault does not only photograph landscapes or environmental projects. He tells life stories, quiet forms of resistance, and everyday commitments.
His work reminds us that ecological challenges are inseparable from social realities. Behind every tree planted are families regaining resources, territories rebuilding, and communities reinventing their future. Each image thus becomes a testament to a possible balance between people and nature.
An immersion into the heart of the living
An Immersion at the Heart of the Living World The result of a year of encounters and reporting, Guardians of the Living is an invitation to look differently at those who act tangibly to preserve ecosystems.
Presented at the Galerie Jardin du Relais Postal as part of the 2026 La Gacilly Photo Festival, the exhibition celebrates these everyday heroes who, through their actions, convictions, and commitment, help repair the bond between humankind and the living world.
Join us from June 1 to October 4, 2026, to discover their stories and faces and to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Yves Rocher Foundation!
