Encouraging biodiversity with differential management

The city uses maintenance techniques designed to respect the environment

Photo: Pascal Pérennec

For the past 15 years the City of Quimper has chosen to maintain each green space by taking into account its geographical location, its characteristics and its public function.. This demanding approach, known as « differential management », follows a program of sustainable development with the objective of implementing environmentally-friendly maintenance techniques.

Why this choice? Through the implementation of differential management, public spaces can become welcoming areas of biodiversity.

There are many challenges to consider :

They are environmental:

• limiting pollution by avoiding chemicals,
• protecting the biological balance and diversity,
• promoting green waste by composting, mulching, shredding….

They can also be cultural:

• highlighting heritage sites,
• conserving the heritage landscape of flora and fauna,
• sharing gardeners’ experience and knowledge

They are social:

• offering diverse spaces to improve the residents quality of life,
• informing the public about the environment,
• adapting spaces for different uses (playgrounds, relaxing, etc.)

They also have an economic function, optimising human, material and financial assets.

This differential management has allowed the city to have 3 of its gardens: the Saint-Laurent Valley, the Moulin Vert lowlands and the Locmaria garden, classified as « ecological plant areas » by the independent organism Écocert.

Amateur gardeners can also help promote biodiversity by gardening without the use of pesticides or chemical fertilizers. Many tips are given on the practical worksheets published by Jardiner au Naturel (the Natural Gardeners Association).