Aubrac: five million euros over five years to preserve water

La signature du contrat territorial des zones humides. PNR Aubrac

The action plan, as part of the territorial contract for wetlands, was presented by the Aubrac Regional Natural Park and its partners.

"L’Aubrac has always been an area with a high-quality water resource, which supplies water to a good part of the great South-West", introduced Guillaume Choisy, director of the Adour Garonne Water Agency, who traveled to the village of Aubrac, mid-April, to mark the start of an action program specifically intended to preserve the wetlands of Aubrac and to support the adaptation of livestock farming to climate change.

Wetlands and grazed meadows

"With the increase in the frequency of periods of heavy rain and the multiplication of periods of intense drought and shortages of drinking water [ …], we know that this resource is being undermined and that it is not going to improve, he continues. This requires us to invest to manage water differently. Wetlands and grazed meadows store the most water, in quantity and quality. Without meadows at the top, we will be unable to ensure quality water at the bottom. We want to have a global approach. To preserve water, we must preserve wetlands and preserve grazing, support breeders who have favorable practices, put in place solutions for watering herds without resorting to public water networks. drinking water… It’s a whole action program that the Park has built with a multitude of partners."

In continuation of the actions undertaken by the Park since 2018, this new action program brings together the Chambers of Agriculture, the Safer (Land Development and Rural Establishment Companies), the Conservatories of natural spaces, communities of municipalities and the joint drinking water union, around several aspects: improving knowledge of the functioning of wetlands and the restoration of 650 hectares & nbsp;; continued support for breeders with 2.10 M€ additional funds to extend the envelope dedicated to agri-environmental and climate measures (Maec); securing access to water for herds, in stables and on plots, and reducing tensions on public drinking water networks.

For too long we thought that water was inexhaustible

"Water is omnipresent in Aubrac, we thought for too long that it was inexhaustible. Thanks to the Water Agency which finances this program at 75% and to all the actors in the territory who are involved with us, the action of the Park of Aubrac is moving to a higher dimension", rejoices Bernard Bastide, its president. "In a context of decreasing number of breeders and cattle, the chambers of agriculture of the Massif Central are working on the issue of water resources and the Park brings real added value to its territory", welcomed Christine Valentin, president of the Lozère Chamber of Agriculture.