Biodiversity footprint

Champagne boasts a wealth of biodiversity, which it is imperative to protect

In 2005, a census of plant and animal species led to the implementation of a preservation plan: the BIODIV plan. In all, the following were recorded in Champagne:

• 365 plant species, including 9 on the Champagne-Ardenne red list;
• 55 species of bird;
• nearly 600 species of arthropod (insects and spiders), including 70 species of predator and parasites of vine pests;
• 1 ton of earthworms per hectare.

The Champagne industry is rallying to reduce the impact that Champagne production has on the diversity of plant species and on the natural habitat of animal species as far as possible. Not only because this biodiversity represents a form of heritage that it is imperative to protect for future generations, but also because each of these species contributes to the fragile balance of an ecosystem that gives a wide variety of services back to viticulture.

A commitment demonstrated through several concrete measures

The wine region is doing a number of things to safeguard this diversity:

• Revegetation of the hillsides, through a diversity of plants and flowers that also help to combat soil erosion;
• Reintroduction of 60,000 trees and shrubs to protect and provide a healthy natural habitat for vineyard animals;
• Planting of vegetation so that buildings fit more harmoniously into the natural landscape;
• Development of cover crops in the plots;
• Restoration of natural balances through the rehabilitation of certain organisms that will naturally fight against parasites harmful to the vine (Typhlodromus mite for example). These two methods, mating disruption and the restoration of natural balances, have contributed to a commendable 95% reduction in insecticide use in the Champagne vineyards.
  
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  Reduction in the quantities of insecticides applied in the Champagne vineyards

The wine region is especially attentive in this regard as the vine is an integral part of this ecosystem. The terroir is key in the production of Champagne. For this is where the grape will develop all its characteristics. The multitude of living beings and organisms acting both on and below ground therefore plays a fundamental role.