Taking biodiversity into account when renovating old buildings
On October 14, the Périgord-Limousin Regional Natural Park hosted a technical meeting day on "taking biodiversity into account in old buildings", in partnership with the Limousin Mammal and Herpetological Group and the Bird Protection League. This day, organized with the support of the Les Cars town hall, had 35 participants from very diverse backgrounds: technicians from the State, the Region, CAUE architects, members of the Heritage Foundation, municipal employees and local elected officials...
Work that can impact biodiversity
Many species have coexisted with humans on a daily basis for centuries, taking advantage of the shelter offered by our built heritage and engineering works. In Périgord-Limousin, we will particularly find house martins under our eaves, common swifts or kestrels in our roofs, or even sparrows and tits in the small joints of our stone walls… Not forgetting the emblematic nocturnal birds of prey in the attics and lofts of our large buildings, such as rural churches.
Because of this cohabitation, several wildlife groups in proven decline are directly impacted by renovation work or rehabilitation projects carried out on built heritage. The dual challenge is therefore to raise awareness among the various stakeholders involved in order to promote renovations that are beneficial to the buildings while taking into account the needs of the species that live there.
Concrete solutions
The awareness day proposed last week was part of the Regional Action Plan for Bats in New Aquitaine. The speakers discussed the life cycle of bats and their relationship with buildings, as well as some other ornithological species in Périgord-Limousin that are particularly affected by this type of ancient habitat.
During the day, Patrice Conte, an archaeologist with the Regional Archaeology Service (DRAC Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Limoges), gave a presentation on the archaeological site of Les Cars (castle and stables). He detailed the solutions implemented to secure the site while taking into account the bats that find refuge there. For example, to prevent access to the cellars, openwork grilles have been installed, blocking visitors while allowing bats to pass through. Other solutions can easily be adapted: preserving putlog holes, small windows, stable cracks, and unsealed joints.
The day ended with a stroll through the village, looking for concrete examples of biodiversity/built heritage cohabitation to show to the participants. The rich discussions showed how important these cross-cutting subjects are and the importance of broad awareness on these subjects, by the Park and its partners.
Resources:
- https://parc-cotentin-bessin.fr/sites/default/files/2019-06/PUBLI_20101001_ACCUEILLIR_CHAUVES_SOURIS_LEG_0.pdf
- https://www.parc-naturel-pilat.fr/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ParcPilat_BiodivBati_4p.pdf
- https://www.loiret-nature-environnement.org/images/Biodiversit%C3%A9/Guide_nature_et_bati-web.pdf
Wild species protected by law
French regulations protect, among other things, certain species of birds and bats (orders of 29/10/2009 and 23/04/2007) by prohibiting:
• Destroy or remove eggs or nests
• Mutilate, kill or capture these species
• Intentionally disturbing these animals in their natural environment
• Naturalize them
• Transport, peddle, use, hold individuals of these species
• Put up for sale, sell or buy these species
• Destroy, modify or degrade the natural habitats of these species.
It is strongly recommended that any individual, company or community preparing to carry out work be vigilant about disruption during the work, adapt the dates of the work site and anticipate.
To carry out an environmental diagnosis , it is advisable to consult an ecologist or a nature protection association to determine the local biodiversity issues, regardless of the scale of the project (advisory role of the Park, but also of the LPO or the GMHL for example…).
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