PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Although the alluvial valley of the river Oise has been extensively modified and engineered through human intervention, some parts of it have kept their original natural characteristics, for example, a series of periodically flooded hay meadows and floodplain forests along its middle section. Its ecological value stems from the river's regime of floods alternating with lower water levels, as well as from the extensive livestock breeding, adapted to these inundations, which is practised there. Consequently the area can lay claim to a significant biological heritage and diversity, notably including a population of corncrake (Crex crex), one of the last in the north of France. A 1992 LIFE project ('Management of alluvial valleys in the north and east of France') succeeded in obtaining various forms of legal protection for the site, such as the termination of the gravel quarrying in the valley and its designation as SPA. However, certain threats such as the intensification of agriculture, the expansion of afforestation with poplars and the abandonment of grazing, contributes to impoverishing the fauna and flora of this alluvial ecosystem.
OBJECTIVES
The aim of this second LIFE project was to impart a decisive impulse towards the establishment of a system for the sustainable management of the SPA, by integrating the ecological, hydrological and economic functions of the middle section of the Oise valley. The project foresaw:
the acquisition of 320 hectares of alluvial meadows on sections where quarrying is no longer permitted to implement management in favour of the corncrake, Crex crex. the elaboration of a planning document for the SPA on the basis of extensive consultation, to define terms of mutual agreement with farmers, poplar growers and various other land users. One objective of this document was also to take into account and integrate the role played by the natural structure of this area in reducing the risk of floods. the implementation of the guidelines of this document on five pilot sites of various sizes, where management plans and experiments to restore wet meadows had been planned, with an eye to transferring the experience gained to other sectors. information campaigns targeting farmers, local politicians and administrations.
RESULTS
The actions foreseen by the project have all been achieved:
The 5 management plans foreseen on small sites have been drawn up and the “document d’objectifs”, concerning the whole Natura 2000 site (SAC : 2996 ha included in a SPA of 5400 ha) has been validated. The management plans foresaw measures that have been partly realised within the Life-project. The “document d’objectifs” can also be considered as a concrete result of the project to the global benefit of the site conservation, even if a large part of the actions foreseen by this document is dependent on the implementation of agrienvironmental measures and so, on the willingness of farmers. Moreover, It has been chosen not to regulate poplar plantation, even if its extension is one of the main threats against the hay meadows, habitat of the Crex crex. The beneficiary has bought 276 ha of land (compared to the 320 ha planned), essentially meadows (197 ha) but also poplar plantations (26 ha), woodland and wasteland. The beneficiary and the municipality of Noyon have implemented an original process: 91 ha of land have been bought by the conservatory and resold to the town for 1 symbolic Euro in exchange for the long-term lease of the area (for 99 years). This procedure has facilitated the involvement of the municipality into the management of this sensitive area and has led to the creation of a steering committee gathering together the municipality, the stakeholders (farmers, hunters) and the beneficiary. 8 sites have been restored as foreseen by the management plans drawn up during the LIFE project. 22 ha of poplar plantations have been removed and 30.5 ha of hay meadows, habitat of the Crex crex, restored. Similar works were planned on 50 additional ha after the end of the project and the management of some woodland areas was redefined in order to recover alluvial woodlands. Even if they are limited, those restoration works represent the main concrete measures in favour of the Crex crex. A total of 48 farmers have signed conventions with the beneficiary to manage a total of 307 ha, including the restored area. At the end of the project, one farmer of the SPA in five had contracted with the beneficiary for a better management of the Crex crex habitats. Conventions are based on the model of agrienvironmental schemes. Even if concrete protection measures have been taken during this LIFE project, the objectives have only been partially attained: actually, after two LIFE projects, the situation of the key species on the site, the corncrake,
Crex crex, has not improved. The management plan has not stopped or limited the development of poplar plantations and no regulation on woodlands has been implemented. In the meantime, the total area of the species habitats (hay meadows) has been decreasing steadily. The improvement of the species’ status is now dependent on the implementation of the agrienvironmental measures proposed by the "document d'objectifs”.
