Clermont Ferrand, France
City population: 280036
Duration: 2019 – ongoing
Implementation status: Ongoing
Scale: Meso-scale: Regional, metropolitan and urban level
Project area: 267000 m2
Type of area: Natural Heritage Area/Untouched nature, Cultural Heritage Area, Public Greenspace Area
Last updated: October 2021

The Côtes site is a natural space of 1300 hectares surrounded by the urban area of the Clermont-Ferrand area, between the cities of Clermont-Ferrand, Durtol, Nohanent, Blanzat and Cébazat. (Ref. 1). Its fragile biodiversity has required special attention from the city with several actions being taken to protect it from growing urbanization. Part of the site is a Natura 2000 area and the Clermont part of the overall site is designated a sensitive natural environment (ENS). A management plan was developed for the ENS and put in place for the years 2019-2024 (Ref. 12).

Cotes site geo map
Cotes site geo map
http://www.cotes-de-clermont.fr/index.html

Overview

Nature-based solution

  • Parks and urban forests
  • Large urban parks or forests
  • Community gardens and allotments
  • Horticulture
  • Intentionally unmanaged areas
  • Abandoned spaces with growth of wilderness or greens

Key challenges

  • Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
  • Habitat and biodiversity conservation
  • Green space creation and/or management
  • Environmental quality
  • Soil quality improvement
  • Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
  • Inclusive governance
  • Effective management
  • Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
  • Environmental education
  • Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
  • Economic development: agriculture
  • Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
  • Preservation of natural heritage
  • Protection of historic and cultural landscape/infrastructure
  • Sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12)
  • Sustainable production

Focus

Ecological restoration of ecosystems, Protection of natural ecosystems, Knowledge creation and awareness raising

Project objectives

After a swath of the area was designated as an ENS in 2015, a goal was to "have a management plan in place to define the actions to be taken over the next 5 years. Its management objectives will be directed towards: Conservation of remarkable environments, The promotion of natural heritage, Improving naturalist knowledge". It was also stated that"At the wildlife level inventories should be conducted in order to deepen the knowledge of the site" (Ref. 3). The goals outlined in the environmental management plan which was developed for 2019-2024 (Ref. 12) are as follows: - Maintain a mosaic of habitats, with open lawns, shrubby facies, brush and woods. - Keep the lawns and restore them in good condition. - Increase the proportion of open environments - Mastering ruderalization (The growth of ruderal plants on disturbed land) - Relaunching quality peri-urban agriculture - Improve site access and pathways Being a Natura 2000 site this is a label which aligned with protection plan for biodiversity and habitats. "Green lung" of the city (Ref. 3) The goals of the ASCOT organization are (Ref. 4): - Protection of the entire site: obtaining the ENS label (sensitive natural area) and registration as a Historic Monument. - Its development to enhance and publicize its riches both from the biodiversity point of view and its archaeological heritage. - The resumption of archaeological research , in particular by programming major archaeological excavations. - Informing everyone for the best knowledge of the Côtes de Clermont -Inhibit the development of a solar power project in a former quarry in the area (Ref. 10).

Implementation activities

"Today the site is in agricultural abandonment. Its immediate proximity to the urban area leads to recreational uses such as hiking but also activities that harm the environment such as motor sports, wild deposits, lack of maintenance of plots ..." (Ref. 3) "Labeled on 10 November 2015, it must now have a management plan in place to define the actions to be taken over the next 5 years. Its management objectives will be directed towards: Conservation of remarkable environments, The promotion of natural heritage, Improving naturalist knowledge" -"At the wildlife level inventories should be conducted in order to deepen the knowledge of the site." -"The site is also marked by an agricultural activity, especially through the wine business." (Ref. 3)

Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities

Biodiversity conservation:

  • Protect and enhance urban habitats
  • Preserve and strengthen existing habitats and ecosystems
  • Reduce negative impacts and avoid the alteration/damage of ecosystem
  • Protect species
  • Undertake specific measures to protect species
  • Means for conservation governance
  • Manage biological resources for conservation and sustainable use
  • Raise public awareness

Main beneficiaries

  • Local government/Municipality
  • Public sector institution (e.g. school or hospital)
  • Non-government organisation/Civil Society
  • Researchers/University
  • Citizens or community groups
  • Other

Governance

Management set-up

  • Co-governance with government and non-government actors

Type of initiating organisation

  • Regional government
  • Local government/municipality
  • Non-government organisation/civil society
  • Private sector/corporate actor/company
  • Researchers/university
  • Citizens or community group

Participatory approaches/ community involvement

  • Dissemination of information and education
  • Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
  • Citizen oversight (e.g. boards, advisory)

Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project

Administrator: CEN Auvergne (Conservatory of natural areas of Auvergne) which also draft the next 5 years management plan with the consultation of citizens, farmers.. (Ref. 3, 14) Publication and Communication financed and managed by the City of Clermont Ferrand as well as in charge of the trails maintenance (Ref. 2) Another actor of its conservation is ASCOT (Association for the Protection of the Côtes de Clermont-Chanturgue) (Ref. 4)

Project implemented in response to ...

... an EU policy or strategy? Yes (Natura 2000 labeled site (European Network) (Ref 3, 12) )
... a national policy or strategy? Unknown
... a local policy or strategy? Yes ("The City's urban planning policies protect it from a urbanization"(Ref. 3) with the Urban Planning and Sustainable Development Project of Clermond-Ferrand (2016). There is a specific section where "The Cotes" are mentioned in the section "the Preservation of sensible natural spaces and developing continuities section" (Ref. 5, page 53) -5 years management plan with consultation of citizens organized by municipalities and the Regional Conservatory of Natural Spaces of Auvergne (Ref. 3, 14))

Financing

Total cost

€500,000 - €2,000,000

Source(s) of funding

  • Public regional budget
  • Public local authority budget

Type of funding

  • Earmarked public budget

Non-financial contribution

Unknown

Impacts and Monitoring

Environmental impacts

  • Environmental quality
  • Improved air quality
  • Green space and habitat
  • Increased number of protection areas
  • Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
  • Increase in protected green space areas
  • Other

Economic impacts

  • Unknown

Socio-cultural impacts

  • Social justice and cohesion
  • Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
  • Cultural heritage and sense of place
  • Increased sense of place identity, memory and belonging
  • Education
  • Increased support for education and scientific research
  • Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
  • Increased awareness of NBS and their benefits
  • Other

Type of reported impacts

Expected impacts

Presence of formal monitoring system

Unknown

Presence of indicators used in reporting

No evidence in public records

Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports

No evidence in public records

Availability of a web-based monitoring tool

No evidence in public records

References

1. Anon. (2012). "Le site des Côtes". Available at: Source link (Accessed: July 17, 2020).
2. Clermont Communauté (2016). "L"Agglo en Balades, sur le site des Côtes". Available at: Source link (Accessed: July 17, 2020).
3. Jarlier, Julie (2016). "Site des Côtes". Puy-de-Dôme. Available at: Source link (Accessed: July 17, 2020).
4. ASCOT (n.d). "Les Côtes de Clermont". Accueil. Available at: Source link (Accessed: July 17, 2020).
5. Ville de Clermont Ferrand (2016). “Plan d’Aménagement and de Développement Durables”. Available at: Source link (Accessed: July 17, 2020).
6. Clermont Ferrand (2014). “Rapport 2014 Développement Durable”. Available at: Source link (Accessed: July 17, 2020).
7. ASCOT (n.d). "PUBLICATIONS MILIEUX NATURELS". Côtes de Clermont. Available at: Source link (Accessed: July 17, 2020).
8. France Info (2016). "The Côtes de Clermont, a sensitive natural area to protect and enhance". Available at: Source link (Accessed: July 17, 2020).
9. Moreau, Emmanuel (2019). "An association urges the Métropole to finally take care of the old Côtes de Clermont quarry". Available at: Source link (Accessed: July 17, 2020).
10. La Montagne (2018). "Ces irréductibles qui se battent pour les côtes de Clermont-Chanturgue". Available at: Source link (Accessed: July 17, 2020).
11. Conservatoir d'espaces naturels Auvergne (2019). "Un plan de gestion participatif sur le site Espace naturel sensible des Côtes de Clermont". Available at: Source link (Accessed: July 17, 2020).
12. Ville de Clermont-Ferrand (2018). "Extrait du registre des deliberations du conseil municipale". Available at: Source link (Accessed: July 17, 2020).
13. Ville de Clermont-Ferrand (2016). "L'agglo en balades sur le site des cotes". (Document attached).
14. Febvret, Pierre-Olivier (2016). "Une mise a plat des Cotes de Clermont". La Montagne. (Document attached).
15. Ville de Clermont-Ferrand (n.d.). "Renforcer la présence du végétal en ville". (Document attached).
Information panel in Puy du Var for Cotes site
Information panel in Puy du Var. © Florent Leydet
http://blog.patawouf.fr/tag/faire-courir-son-chien/