Is an ecologization of the Is an ecologization of the territory without actors and territory without actors and

territory possible? territory possible? The case of La Bassée floodplainThe case of La Bassée floodplain

Silvia BruzzoneSilvia Bruzzone

José-Frédéric DéroubaixJosé-Frédéric Déroubaix

LEESU-ENPCLEESU-ENPC

Crisan, 20 – 21 april 2013

Ecological restoration and Ecological restoration and ecological floodingecological flooding

• Ecological restoration of rivers and Ecological restoration of rivers and dynamic management of the floods are dynamic management of the floods are historically linkedhistorically linked

Integration of the environmental NGO’s in the Integration of the environmental NGO’s in the public policies conducted by the Ministry of public policies conducted by the Ministry of Environment since the seventies (Lascoumes, Environment since the seventies (Lascoumes, Le Bourhis, 1997)Le Bourhis, 1997)

Ecology as the dominant expertise in the Ecology as the dominant expertise in the elaboration of a regulatory framework (WFD elaboration of a regulatory framework (WFD and Flood Directive) (Stayeart, Ollivier, 2007)and Flood Directive) (Stayeart, Ollivier, 2007)

Ecological Ecological restoration, restoration, what are we what are we

talking about?talking about?

Typology of de Typology of de restoration restoration projects (IWRM-projects (IWRM-Net Forecaster, Net Forecaster, 2009)2009)

The political unfeasibility of an ecological The political unfeasibility of an ecological flooding project ? flooding project ?

The project of ecological flooding in the La The project of ecological flooding in the La Bassée floodplainBassée floodplain

Main actor of the flood management in the Main actor of the flood management in the Seine River Basin : EPTB (Seine River Basin : EPTB (Etablissement Etablissement Public Territorial de BassinPublic Territorial de Bassin) Seine Grands ) Seine Grands Lacs as contracting authorityLacs as contracting authority

The La Bassée floodplain project The La Bassée floodplain project 2 objectives: 2 objectives:

1. hydraulic: to reduce the risk of flooding in 1. hydraulic: to reduce the risk of flooding in Paris (combination of the Seine River and Paris (combination of the Seine River and the Yonne River overflows)the Yonne River overflows)2. rehabilitation of the ecological 2. rehabilitation of the ecological environment in the floodplain (500 hectares)environment in the floodplain (500 hectares)

The Seine river basin and its flood The Seine river basin and its flood defenses defenses

Source: EPTBSource: EPTB SGLSGL

Source: EPTB SGLSource: EPTB SGL

“Restore and maintain the La Bassée ecosystems characterised by their recurrent submersions”

Reduce the flood probability by slowing down the overflow with retention basins

What is this project about?What is this project about?The construction of water retention basinsThe construction of water retention basins

Source: EPTBSource: EPTB SGLSGL

Particularity of the site and challenge of the project: the flood plain is flat and the water has to be pumped (in and out)

Current uses and Current uses and environmental protectionenvironmental protection

250 ha are strictly protected (ZPS) and 830 ha are included in a Natura 2000 area

70 % is private estate 555 owners

The biggest owners are gravel producers. 30 % is public estate, 18 owners (municipalities + Water Authority

Some figuresSome figures • 2300 hectares for stocking water2300 hectares for stocking water• stockable volumes of water: 55 millions m3stockable volumes of water: 55 millions m3• 58km of low embankments to be used for different uses 58km of low embankments to be used for different uses • Cost: 500 MCost: 500 M€€• Reduction of the vulnerability of the Greater Paris: 15 cm Reduction of the vulnerability of the Greater Paris: 15 cm

in the centre of Paris for a 100 year return period eventin the centre of Paris for a 100 year return period event• Operational:Operational:

– 15 days every 5 years to prevent flooding15 days every 5 years to prevent flooding– every spring for the renaturation of humid zones every spring for the renaturation of humid zones

(ecological management)(ecological management)

Public Debate: Public Debate: to inform the public and to increase the to inform the public and to increase the

political supportpolitical support• November 2011- February 2012November 2011- February 2012• 14 thematic meetings in different towns concerned by 14 thematic meetings in different towns concerned by

the project the project • main topics: environment, expertise, agriculture, main topics: environment, expertise, agriculture,

economic development, etc.economic development, etc.• BUTBUT the way the debate has been held failed to obtain the way the debate has been held failed to obtain

local supportlocal support Lack of support from the environmental protection Lack of support from the environmental protection

associationsassociations Opposition of the landowners and the local elected Opposition of the landowners and the local elected

representativesrepresentatives Controversial costs/benefits analysis (in comparison to Controversial costs/benefits analysis (in comparison to

other planning projects such as fluvial transportation) other planning projects such as fluvial transportation)

Difficulty to build a Difficulty to build a political supportpolitical support

• Weak mimetism: lack of comparable experiences Weak mimetism: lack of comparable experiences (the Rhine Valley, Parc Naturel Regional Foret (the Rhine Valley, Parc Naturel Regional Foret d’Orient, etc.)d’Orient, etc.)

• A project which comes out of the blue! A project which comes out of the blue! No trace of previous negotiations (1990-2001: No trace of previous negotiations (1990-2001: preliminary studies and negotiations with local preliminary studies and negotiations with local stakeholders)stakeholders)

• Very low integration in the local context: lack of Very low integration in the local context: lack of proposals for agricultural, touristic, economic proposals for agricultural, touristic, economic development, etc. development, etc.

• Absence of local stakeholders who could represent Absence of local stakeholders who could represent the territorial assets and negotiate a sharing of the territorial assets and negotiate a sharing of environmental resources (water, biodiversity, land environmental resources (water, biodiversity, land and landscape, gravel, shale gas, etc)and landscape, gravel, shale gas, etc)

A “technical project” A “technical project” without without

story, territory and actorsstory, territory and actors • Gap between a technical solution Gap between a technical solution

and its political and social feasibilityand its political and social feasibility• A project which is not understood A project which is not understood

and imagined in the local contextand imagined in the local context

► ► Ecological flooding requires the Ecological flooding requires the elaboration of local practices elaboration of local practices embedded in a territorial embedded in a territorial (institutional) framework(institutional) framework

« Ecological flooding » « Ecological flooding » requires:requires:

• Collective action (representatives, Collective action (representatives, procedure(s) of coordination)procedure(s) of coordination)

• Fabrication of a heritage (invention Fabrication of a heritage (invention of new environmental practices)of new environmental practices)

• Ecological flooding has nothing to do Ecological flooding has nothing to do with restoration and the search of a with restoration and the search of a previous “natural” system.previous “natural” system.

Thank you for your Thank you for your attention !attention !

Zones ProtégéesZones Protégées• Une ZPS de 250 haUne ZPS de 250 ha• Une zone de 830 ha faisant partie de projet Une zone de 830 ha faisant partie de projet

européen Natura 2000 composée de:européen Natura 2000 composée de:– Eaux douces intérieures  20 % Eaux douces intérieures  20 % – Cultures céréalières extensives 20 % Cultures céréalières extensives 20 % – Forêts caducifoliées     20 % Forêts caducifoliées     20 % – Forêts mixtes     20 % Forêts mixtes     20 % – Forêts artificielles en monoculture 10 %  Forêts artificielles en monoculture 10 %  – Autres terres (incluant les Zones urbanisées et Autres terres (incluant les Zones urbanisées et

industrielles, Routes, Décharges, Mines)     5 % industrielles, Routes, Décharges, Mines)     5 %