Keystone-SDA
The canton of Friborg presents its planning of the ecological infrastructure (IE). “Dynamic” tool for territorial coordination, it must ensure a coherent implementation of measures favorable to biodiversity to the most relevant locations.
(Keystone-ATS) “Like our company, the fauna and flora also operate thanks to infrastructure,” noted the President of the Council of State Jean-François Steiert, in charge of environment and infrastructure in Friborg on Thursday, and his colleague Didier Castella, at the head of agriculture. The document is unprecedented.
Friborg has established a first report establishing planning, implementation and coordinated monitoring of the EI. The efforts made for more than 30 years in the field of nature and landscape protection have made it possible to slow down the loss of biodiversity, but not to reverse the trend, specifies the press release.
Upper order
An observation which requires “higher order” planning, with the idea of an ecological infrastructure. The objective is to “achieve functional and resilient biodiversity”. The principle is to provide sufficient surfaces and distributed throughout the territory.
The implementation is provided in stages and in the long term. In principle, it follows three main axes: preserving the existing, improving and maintaining the environments as well as completing the surfaces. Planning responds to an obligation of the Confederation given within the framework of the Nature 2020-2024.
The approach is also one of the main objectives of the biodiversity cantonal strategy adopted by the Grand Council in 2023. It was drawn up following the work guide of the Federal Environment Office (OFEF), with a steering committee and an internal project committee.
Balance
The report reveals current areas and potential additional surfaces that should benefit from promotion measures. The 17.3% of surfaces with a protection status must thus be supplemented by 11.5% of additional areas, the location, objectives and status to be defined.
Results and observations of the report also show that the forest and agricultural areas both contribute “strongly” to the EI, not only via the objectives already defined, but also via existing measures. The implementation of the EI in these two sectors will mainly aim to enhance and optimize the existing.
For the built environment, a “considerable” effort remains to be provided, in particular to find, even restore a balance between the fields and guarantee the long -term functionality of the environments. The report will be submitted to the OFEV for position, before serving as a starting to the integration of the EI in the cantonal master plan.
