Sharing resources in mountain areas
15The agricultural sector is the second-largest contributor to the mountain economy, and plays a major role in its development. It relies on a number of quality-labeled sectors, relatively well-preserved agro-ecosystems and a marketing system partly linked to tourism and the development of short distribution channels. But it is vulnerable and faces a number of challenges, including pressure on mountain pasture resources.
© Nathalie Cayla
In the core zone of the Parc National de la Vanoise, human activities are dominated by the agricultural sector linked to pastoralism and by the tourist sector linked to so-called “soft” practices. The summer season is therefore marked by the presence of animals and humans who must share a vital resource: water.
For the first time in 2022, a refuge had to close very early in the season due to a lack of water supply (Col du Palet refuge, July 18, 2022), and many farmers had to find emergency solutions to supply water to their herds’ drinking troughs, not to mention the heat stress affecting animals during heat waves and the reduced forage quality of hay harvested from hay meadows.
Sharing water resources is becoming a crucial issue, in order to anticipate future shortages and experiment with concerted solutions.
This module invites students in the Agroecology and Transition in Mountain Territories (AgroEcoTem) professional degree program to discover innovative solutions that can be put in place, on a territorial and/or farm scale, to promote transition and enable resilience in the face of change. It is based on 2 days of discovery of practical experiences implemented in the heart of the Parc de la Vanoise or in the adhesion zone, but also on a participative workcamp to test a solution aimed at reducing conflict between farmers and marmots over forage resources.
Training Vanoise Climate and ecological transitions Natural areas, resources and biodiversity Planning, public policy and governance
Coordination
Nathalie Cayla
Edytem (USMB)