Managing the summer alpine pastures in a context of recurrent droughts

B. Nettier (1) , L. Dobremez (1) , M. Talichet (2) , T. Romagny (3) , V. Le Pottier (1)

1 UR DTGR - Développement des territoires montagnards
2 aucun
3 aucun

Since 2003, livestock farming systems using summer pastures in the French Alps have faced several droughts. A survey was conducted among 35 livestock farmers and shepherds in the Vercors Massif aiming at a better understanding of their perception of drought consequences on pastoral activities and on the way they adapt alpine pastures management. Following modes of adaptation were observed: decrease in grazing pressures (stock numbers and time spent on alpine pastures), increase in the grazing area allotted to animals (new sections of grazing land) and better use of the existing resource (through shepherds' technical know-how and new equipment). We identified five main types of adaptation, depending on the initial level of forage resources used, both on the alpine pastures and on the farmstead. Pastoral management requires flexibility, particularly since other environmental and heritage issues as well as constraints (predation ) also have to be taken into account.

Mots clés: PASTORALISME; ETAGE ALPIN; ELEVAGE; ZONE DE MONTAGNE

Domaines: Sciences de l'environnement

B. Nettier, L. Dobremez, M. Talichet, T. Romagny, V. Le Pottier. Managing the summer alpine pastures in a context of recurrent droughts. 16th European Grassland Federation Symposium,Grassland Farming and Land Management Systems in Mountaneous Regions, Aug 2011, Raumberg-Gumpenstein, Austria. p. 61 - p. 63. ⟨hal-00620627⟩