News
2014-09-27
Flowering meadow restoration in Attert (BE) (video)
Under a double overhead line corridor (380 kV and 220 kV), the LIFE Elia project undertook the sowing of 2,5 ha of flowering meadow. Located in the communal forest of Attert, this surface is of great interest for biodiversity.
Don't miss the video on top of this article !
The forest corridor is usually covered by a dense thicket of alder buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula) and by invasive plants of black cherry (Prunus serotina) to be absolutely eradicated.
This dense thicket required a regular management by mulching to prevent any accident with the conductors, these species growing very rapidly.
The type of soil and the proximity of the agricultural land led us to choose a restoration of a flowering meadow.
The first operation consisted in the harvest of seeds on a high biological value meadow located at few kilometres away. This meadow was chosen in the near environment and offered the same characteristics than the target area. The harvest was done in two steps in nearby areas, to ensure the greatest possible variety of seeds and to take into account their maturing schedule. These seeds were harvested, dried and sorted by the firm ECOSEM, specialized in this very special work of natural grassland seeds harvest.
Buckthorn thickets were then mulched on the entire targeted surface.
The next step is to prepare the soil deeply enough to destroy the roots of shrub species and make the land suitable for the flower and grass seeds to germinate.
Finally, members of the LIFE team carried out an "old fashion" seedling by hand.
Wind conditions were ideal to carry the sowing. A fine rain by the end of the day was of perfect timing for us, since it allowed to stick the seeds on the ground and should guarantee, thanks to the warm weather announced for the following days, the germination under optimal conditions.
This site will become, starting next spring, a major attraction for a variety of insects and therefore birds.
It will also serve as natural grazing area for deer and other wild animals. Its positive impact on the landscape will also be undeniable.
Mowing of this plot will be contracted out a local farmer with conditions linked to mowing dates that will allow insects to complete their life cycle.
A favourable management for biodiversity and local actors now replaces the classic mulching of ELIA within the forest corridor.
