Life Elia

On the occasion of the Festival of nature held in France during the week of May 19 to 25, part of the LIFE team visited the site of Vuillecin (Doubs 25).

Through the partnership with RTE, the Municipality of Vuillecin, the Forest National Office (ONF) and the Natura 2000 facilitator, various activities have taken place on the LIFE site on Friday 23 and Saturday 24 of May.

Didactic tools for the public

Information tools have been designed specifically for this site (didactic panel and leaflet). Both tools were inaugurated during the festival. The panel was placed at the beginning of the forest corridor for a better visibility.

Leaflets were handed out to different partners to be spread in their respective networks.

Both panel and leaflet summarizes the actions favourable to biodiversity implemented in the LIFE project : grazing for the development of the local flora and next fall, planting wild apple and pear trees originating from communal forest. They also describe how three networks contribute to the same project : a grid under which develops an ecological network through partnership with a network of local actors.

During the Friday afternoon, kids and high school students were welcomed for animations of nature conservation sensibilisation.

It was also an opportunity for children to see the horses (Konik Polski) grazing vegetation under the high-tension power line in Vuillecin. Their work will be precious before the venue of cows from the Montbéliard breed owned by local pastoral association.

By late afternoon, children were welcomed next to the forest chalet of a good outdoor snack.

Signing of the agreement with partners

This event was also the occasion to sign of the agreement between RTE, the Municipality of Vuillecin and Mancy equestrian farm which take care of the horses.

Guided tour under overhead lines

On Saturday, a new site visit was organized for the general public. Locals and officials have been guided by RTE, by Benoit Locatelli from the National Forest Agency, by a Natura 2000 worker and by the members of the LIFE team. A great opportunity to be informed of the nature management, including forest production, forest grazing, hunting, landscape, biodiversity and people public's use.

An apiary has been recently installed at the edge of the electric corridor. Bees are able to forage the flowers promoted by the restoration carried out in the framework of the LIFE project.

The forest of Vuillecin has an integrated management plan that was nicely presented during these two days.