Maintenance and restoration of the characteristic hedge row network landscape of the Champsaur and Valgaudemar Valleys

Best Practice

Topics

• Protected areas
• New forms of decision-making, Policies and instruments

Short description

Between 1995 and1999 a large project of land regrouping in the Champsaur Valley has been planed. In the frame of this restructuring of land in the area, some hedges and small forests forming the typical valley landscape should be removed. To prevent this, a protest movement grew and led to an agro-environmental local operation (OLAE: Operation Locale Agri-Environnementale) to preserve the landscape. In the same time, the National Park finished a study about the biological importance of the hedge row network. This study showed the importance of the hedges as landscape structures, their special interest for ecology and agriculture. In this frame, the National Park started a programme for the maintenance and restoration of the characteristic hedge row network landscape of the Champsaur and Valgaudemar Valleys and brought together the different partners of the project. The whole programme lasted from 1999 to 2004 with different parts regarding the content and the funding. From 1999 to 2004 in the frame of agri-environmental measures to finance the actions of the farmers for the maintenance and restoration of the hedge row network. From 2000 to 2001 in the frame of a Leader II project actions for tourism and economic promotion were organized, communications tools were created and a scientific monitoring of the project was initialised. Addition of Q5: Workshops, public information procedures as well as use and protection contracts between the French state and the farmers were used as instruments to ensure the aimed maintenance of the hedge rows.

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Participants

Voluntary farmers; National Park Les Ecrins; Chambre d’Agriculture des Hautes-Alpes; Centre Régional de la Propriété Forestière (CRPF)

Objectives

The main objective of the programme was the maintenance of the hedge row network in this area. To maintain and restore this network, all different methods of maintenance are important. An other mayor aim is therefore the preservation of the maintenance diversity. In the frame of the Leader II a communication strategy was established and different communication tools were created to raise the awareness of the local population for this singular cultural and natural heritage.

Activities

Six different measures are foreseen in the contracts with the farmers:1) Maintenance and renovation of the hedges; 2) Lateral trimming of the hedges 3) Cleaning of parcels covered with bushes 4) Cut of the upper parts of the trees to form pollards 5) Restoration of hedges (plantations and scientific monitoring)6) Conservation of wetlands; There were also some communication actions carried out by the partners, the creation of a film and an exhibition, the conception of a pedagogic handbook for children, the installation of a pedagogic path, regular meetings with all kind of medias and various interventions on scientific colloquiums.

Process

The contracts between the French state and the farmers for the maintenance of the hedges are signed for 5 years. The funds come from the Region and the European Union. The process starts with a visit and a diagnostic of the parcels the farmer wants to bring in the contract. The diagnostic allows to propose conservation measures for the hedges that are adapted to the overall situation of the farm. The contracts are signed for measures on hedges of a minimum of 250m and a maximum width of 10 meters. Following measures are proposed to the farmers in the contract: maintenance and restoration of the hedge, lateral trimming of the hedge, maintenance of parcels covered with bushes, restoration of hedges, conservation of humid areas. The role of the National Park and the Chambre d’agriculture was to guide and to advise the farmers. The whole programme was accompanied by different communication actions.

Results

84 contracts were signed in the frame of the programme.

Evaluation

The National Park assured a scientific evaluation of the programme, a monitoring protocol was established to evaluate the impacts of the measures trough indicators. There has also been an evaluation trough photographs.

Difficulties

The French regulations on contracts for agri-environmental measures with farmers changed during the project duration, the old model of agri-environmental measures was given up for a new contracts with farmers (CTE – Contrats Territoriaux d’Exploitation). This new contract model stopped the possibilities for promotion of the programme.

Budget

610.000 €. The average for one contract for the whole contract duration (5 years) was of 3.087€. (Euro)

Financial backer

This programme corresponds to an application of the European guideline (CEE) n° 2078/92. It is therefore financed by 50% by the European Union. The other 50% are financed by the Region Provence Alpes côte-d’Azur

Source of information

Ansprechperson

Mr Richard Bonet
Sevice Scientifique, National Park Les Ecrins
Domaine de Charance, 05000 Gap, France
richard.bonet@espaces-naturels.fr

Competition

Participant at the 2005 Future in the Alps competition

Homepage

http://www.les-ecrins-parc-national.fr

Contact person as above

Comments

Impact on nature and environment

Preservation of the typical hedge landscape with all its ecological and agricultural advantages. Management of wetlands.

Economic value added

An additional income for the farmers, they were paid for their work to maintain the hedge row network. In the frame of the programme a instrument for the selling of firewood was created to offer the possibility to the farmers to sell the wood they got from the maintenance of their hedges. Also it was a small initiative (about 900 steer of firewood) it had success, all wood offered was sold.

Socio-cultural value added

Preservation of traditional landscape. The local community realises the importance of the patchwork landscape. For the first time the whole local community and all different actors gained a common awareness of the special landscape of their area and of the importance of the maintenance of this landscape.

Innovative content

It was a innovative aspect to combine different programmes (Contracts for agri-environmental measures and Leader II) in a common programme.

Good governance

All farmers that participated at the programme were voluntaries. About 1/3 of all farmers that had the necessary requirements participated at the programme, even though only 6 month of promotion instead of the 12 that were foreseen have be carried out.

PR impact

Various articles and reportages in the written press. The scientific partners of the programme had different publications and presentations on scientific colloquiums. A 26 minutes film was produced (“Derrière la haie”). A pedagogic handbook for children has been developed. The chambre d’agriculture created a pedagogic path in the Champsaur valley.

Multiplier effect / networking

There has been a partnership and an international exchange with the Virgental in Austria. Both regions worked together on the subject, there were different meetings and exchange journeys for the farmers and the scientific staff.

Transferability

As shown in the international exchange the programme can be transferred to other regions with similar landscape. In France such programmes are not possible any more because of the new regulations for the financing of agri-environmental measures defined by the new type of contracts (CAD). The park and specially the person responsible have a great merit in this programme, they were the motor for the good functioning.

Remarks

Project is also Best Practice for Q5 New forms of Decision Making