Paths of life: first results of an innovative project in the field of connectivity restoration

Abstract

The project « Paths of life » coordinated by the Isère general council, aims at restoring the ecological connectivity of the valley of Grésivaudan located around Grenoble between the Belledonne, Chartreuse and Vercors massifs. This project (9 million €) includes several dozen actions carried out between 2008 and 2014, led by the general council, the company in charge of the motorways and others partners. The main works concern the improvement of the possibility of the fauna to cross motorways (existing passages) and departmental roads (diminution of vehicle-fauna collisions by installing a thermal detector systems). Other actions include the creation of fish passes on two rivers, the improvement of the landscape through the planting of hedges and raising the awareness of local actors. The first results of the scientific evaluation show that those actions have positive effects. The valley of Gresivaudan is subject to a strong pressure (like urbanization, infrastructures and intensive farming), which is why the restoration of the ecological connectivity depends on the improvement of the linear infrastructures but also on the whole territory (e.g. control of urbanization, restoration of agricultural area). This global management is on its way now.