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Wildlife & Ecosystems

Sampling Vineyard Ecology and Biodiversity in Bordeaux

Earthwatchers helped foster biodiversity and improve agricultural practices in the vineyards of Bordeaux, France.

Previously Funded Expedition

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Why the Research is Important
About the Research Area
Daily Life in the Field
The Scientists
Accommodations and Food
Comments & Questions

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Vineyard biodiversity can help protect terroir–the environmental qualities that produce the extraordinary grapes of the Bordeaux region.

Improving vineyard biodiversity has many benefits. It helps to keep vine pests and diseases in check while reducing soil erosion and agrochemical runoff. Perhaps most importantly, a more natural approach to wine growing may help vintners to maintain terroir––the qualities specific to this land that make Bordeaux wines what they are. The soil, geography, climate, and other characteristics of the local area contribute to its terroir, and there is an increasing desire among wine producers to preserve the natural features associated with this terroir.

Many “farmscaping” techniques, including creating hedgerows and encouraging ground cover between vine rows, have been implemented to benefit biodiversity, but the impacts of these techniques are not often assessed or understood. On this project, based at Château les Vergnes, Gironde, researchers and Earthwatch volunteers developed and tested the feasibility of simple, fast, yet scientifically reliable biodiversity measurements for birds, insects, and plants.

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The facts

Location

Bordeaux, France, Europe & Russia

Lead scientists

Maarten van Helden

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Why the research is important

Farmers need tools to monitor general biodiversity and its changes over time to understand if new farm management techniques are effective.

Farmers in the vineyards of Bordeaux need tools to measure the outcome of their improved farmscaping activities.

In historically wine-growing areas such as Bordeaux, viticulture (grape farming) is so dominant that it negatively affects species biodiversity, both through its impact on landscape composition and through intensive crop management. Increased biodiversity can improve the natural regulation of vine pests, while also supporting wine growers who seek better tools for recovering lost species, reducing soil erosion, and lowering the risk of fertilizer and pesticide runoff. A variety of farmscaping measures have been proposed to achieve this sustainable approach, but the success of these efforts is difficult to measure. Farmers need tools to monitor general biodiversity and its changes over time to understand if new farm management techniques are effective.

Measuring biodiversity in the vineyards.

This project worked to develop simplified methods and indicators to monitor the changes in biodiversity across a whole vineyard. Earthwatch volunteers on this project have helped to test and improve these methods, which are intended to help farm managers who are not wildlife specialists to appreciate and monitor biodiversity in their vineyards and understand its importance. Information from this project has been used to make recommendations on how farming practices in a working vineyard could be modified to benefit the associated wildlife.

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About the research area

Bordeaux, France, Europe & Russia

The participants stayed in a bungalow in the beautiful wine-producing region of Bordeaux, France. They worked at the Château les Vergnes, located just east of the city of Bordeaux in the region known as Entre deux Mers. The château and its vineyard lie south of the Dordogne River amid gently rolling hills. A fine old windmill stands amid the vineyards, woods, plantations, meadows, and arable fields. Built in the 18th century, the château is typical of the area and boasts an impressive wine cellar. The château was used as the headquarters for Earthwatch lectures, discussions, and lab work.

During their stay, volunteers had the opportunity to visit a variety of vineyards, including Sainte Foy la Grande and Château de Montbazillac. Earthwatchers also made a trip to the vineyard of Saint-Emilion to participate in a demonstration landscape project.

Bordeaux, France

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Daily life in the field

Itinerary

This is a summary:

Day 1: Arrival
Day 2: Introduction to the vineyard and biodiversity
Day 3: Training on botany and data collection
Day 4–5: Collect plant, insect, and soil samples
Day 6: Visit other area vineyards
Day 7: Rest
Day 8: Process collected samples
Day 9: Landscape project
Day 10–11: More fieldwork, celebration on last evening
Day 12: Departure

The participants helped develop and use simplified monitoring techniques for measuring plant and insect biodiversity in vineyards. They spent their mornings in groups collecting samples under the guidance of the Earthwatch scientists and assistants and their afternoons identifying the specimens collected.

The volunteers monitored an experiment on different seed mixtures used for ground cover, testing to see if the different seed mixtures had an impact on insects and spiders on the plot. They also conducted sampling of plants and insects in different locations around the vineyard.

In addition, the volunteers helped in a global project on biodiversity conducted in the Saint-Emilion vineyard. Their tasks included collecting data on mammals and birds and making ground observations of landscape features for databases used to develop management plans for the vineyard.

In addition to hands-on work, the volunteers attended lectures and discussions, explored the nature trail at Château les Vergnes, and took part in optional activities including early morning and night observations of insects and wildlife, wine tasting at Château les Vergnes, and a visit to the winery of Univitis. During the weekend, they had the option of a guided tour and visit to the historic village of Sainte Foy la Grande and the Château de Montbazillac.

Measuring biodiversity in the vineyards.

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The Scientists

Investigating biodiversity in the vineyard with Earthwatch volunteers.

MEET THE LEAD SCIENTIST

Maarten

van Helden

Associate Professor, National School for Agricultural Engineers, Bordeaux

ABOUT Maarten van Helden

Why Work with Farmers to Improve Biodiversity Bordeaux’s Vineyards? "The educational aim of this work is to make people aware that ‘biodiversity' is not just focused on nature conservation or endangered species. By observing ‘common' biodiversity in a cultivated area, people start to appreciate the direct environment they are living in and understand that agriculture has a direct impact on biodiversity. Even very simple agro-environmental measurements that are easy to apply at the farm scale can improve biodiversity."

Accommodations and Food

Single bed
Mosquito net
Reading desk
Solar electricity
Hot shower
River and roof water
Evening meals
Western-style breakfast

Camp consists of several simple buildings erected on a large clearing in Budongo Forest. You'll stay in a single room that contains a bed, beddings, mosquito net, reading desk and a chair. All rooms are connected to solar electricity. There are three pit latrines on site which are shared by all. You'll have access to a warm shower, every evening after a long day's work. Water used at camp is harvested off the roofs or taken from the Sonso River so frugal use is necessary.

Evening meals are prepared by cooks who will prepare dishes including rice, chapati, potatoes, spaghetti, beans, beef, fish, ground nuts (peanuts), cow peas, assorted fresh vegetables and fruits, eggs. There are other local foods such as cassava, stewed bananas (locally known as matooke) and maize bread (locally known as ugali or posho). Breakfast will be western style.