Erosion in the Maritime Alps, France
Source: G Heiss
With about 40 species, the Maritime and Ligurian Alps have the highest concentration of endemic plants of the Alps, where they grow at exceptionally low altitudes (600 m and 1200 m respectively) owing to favourable climatic conditions. This number of species makes up 10 per cent of the approximately 400 vascular endemic plants (Ozenda, 1983), found in the whole Alpine mountain range. In the Mercantour region (Site 14 on Map 9.10), a French national park was established in 1979 near the Italian border, protecting an exceptional variety of 2000 vascular plants on 68 500 hectares. Adjacent to this, Italy followed in 1980 by establishing a protected landscape area of 26 000 ha (Parco Regionale Argentera). Despite these designations, some of the most interesting sites on the French side, such as the Roya valley and the extraordinary fir forests of the Col de Turini, lie outside these areas and are without protection. The whole area represents a typical example of the most serious threat to be found in the Mediterranean region: soil erosion. In mountain regions sun-exposed slopes are traditionally used for agriculture, whereas the shady valley slopes serve as timber reservoirs. Nowadays, the view from the 2800 m high Col de la Bonnette shows almost 'steppe-like' mountain ranges where tree growth has become impossible. Whole mountain slopes are being eroded and debris has buried the ancient road to St Etienne de Tinée. In order to prevent further degradation and to keep the site's function as a water reservoir for the Côte d'Azur coastal region, active management is needed to stop the destructive processes. Reforestation projects would best employ indigenous species, rather than exotics, such as black and Corsican pines (Heiss, 1987).
In the Mercantour region (Site 14 on Map 9.10), a French national park was established in 1979 near the Italian border, protecting an exceptional variety of 2000 vascular plants on 68 500 hectares. Adjacent to this, Italy followed in 1980 by establishing a protected landscape area of 26 000 ha (Parco Regionale Argentera). Despite these designations, some of the most interesting sites on the French side, such as the Roya valley and the extraordinary fir forests of the Col de Turini, lie outside these areas and are without protection. The whole area represents a typical example of the most serious threat to be found in the Mediterranean region: soil erosion. In mountain regions sun-exposed slopes are traditionally used for agriculture, whereas the shady valley slopes serve as timber reservoirs. Nowadays, the view from the 2800 m high Col de la Bonnette shows almost 'steppe-like' mountain ranges where tree growth has become impossible. Whole mountain slopes are being eroded and debris has buried the ancient road to St Etienne de Tinée. In order to prevent further degradation and to keep the site's function as a water reservoir for the Côte d'Azur coastal region, active management is needed to stop the destructive processes. Reforestation projects would best employ indigenous species, rather than exotics, such as black and Corsican pines (Heiss, 1987).
The whole area represents a typical example of the most serious threat to be found in the Mediterranean region: soil erosion. In mountain regions sun-exposed slopes are traditionally used for agriculture, whereas the shady valley slopes serve as timber reservoirs. Nowadays, the view from the 2800 m high Col de la Bonnette shows almost 'steppe-like' mountain ranges where tree growth has become impossible. Whole mountain slopes are being eroded and debris has buried the ancient road to St Etienne de Tinée. In order to prevent further degradation and to keep the site's function as a water reservoir for the Côte d'Azur coastal region, active management is needed to stop the destructive processes. Reforestation projects would best employ indigenous species, rather than exotics, such as black and Corsican pines (Heiss, 1987).