Hirondelle aux ...

Introduction to the Association

The association "L'Hirondelle" was created in 2013 in Drôme Provençale, in the southeast of the Rhône Alpes – Auvergne region. The name of the association originates from a farmer's saying: "The swallow in the fields brings joy and spring."

Our association aims to preserve and restore biodiversity in agricultural environments to address multiple challenges:

- Ecological (respect for the soil, environment, fauna and flora, etc.),

- Health (water quality, food quality, etc.),

- Social (sustainable agriculture, etc.),

- Economic (promoting healthy products, reducing inputs, etc.).

The association was initiated by farmers concerned about their environment and keen to spread the idea of better incorporating biodiversity in the agricultural world. Thus, it is an association created "by farmers for farmers."

The founders are involved in organic farming at the "Un Goût d’Air Libre" farm, committed to agro-ecology and located in Drôme Provençale between Dieulefit and Montélimar. Over time, this farm will be equipped with facilities and measures to support local fauna and flora: it can thus serve as a demonstration site during visits or events.

Project

The project involves creating small ponds measuring 4m x 2.5m, with a depth of 1.5m at the deepest point. The depth is important to maintain a water area despite summer evaporation. They also have a gentle slope to allow amphibians and other inhabitants to access them without the risk of drowning.

The first pond will be set up at the "pilot" farm Un Goût d’Air Libre, in La Bégude de Mazenc in central Drôme (Jabron valley). This is a place where other wildlife-friendly landscaping experiments are conducted. It will be installed in the heart of the medicinal plant crops, near a greenhouse/nursery whose gutter will allow for filling during rains. The advantage is that it will easily fit into the tour circuit around actions for biodiversity in agricultural environments and can serve as an example.

The second pond may be installed in Manas (a small village in central Drôme), at a market gardener's farm, who is setting up a vegetable canning project. This farm will undergo a biodiversity diagnosis in the fall of 2021, which will help determine the pond's location in spring 2022. The plots are small and located in the Roubion valley. The area is surrounded by ditches that are regularly filled with water, making the connection with a pond or two relevant. Moreover, installing a pond for a market gardening project is quite relevant as the small fauna associated with this wet environment can be very beneficial for farmers.

The ultimate goal is to establish a network of small ponds on partner farms of the association when they are relevant for crops and for restoring biodiversity in a favorable environment. A network of ponds allows species to spread across a farm and also to move from one habitat to another, especially in case of problems (drying, pollution, dredging, etc.). Such a network is only possible with the creation of small ponds, as they are more easily placed without too much inconvenience on the farm's parcels.