Deforestation work on the LIEN construction site (Illustrative image Le Poing)
While work on the northern intercantonal bypass link (LINK) resumed in mid-November, the doubtful gladiolus, a protected species which lives on the route of the road, is at the heart of the debates
“The Hérault Department is crushing one of the 136 protected species without having the necessary authorizations. Ignoring the naturalist information transmitted through hierarchical and legal channels, and without waiting to obtain the prefectural decree which would authorize it to destroy these 474 feet, the Department proceeded in mid-November to the methodical destruction of the soil on exactly one of the areas where doubtful gladiolus stations have been observed” wrote the SOS Oulala collective, which fights against the LIEN, in a press release dated November 27.
As a reminder, the Intercantonal Northern bypass link (LINK) is a project carried out by the Department of Hérault since the 1980s. It is supposed to connect the small towns in the north of the Montpellier metropolitan area together, and was built by successive sections of roads. The last section of the site, eight kilometers between Saint-Gély-du-Fesc and Grabels, is currently under construction. According to the SOS Oulala collective, this project would create a connecting ring road between the A 750 and the A 9 for goods transport.
But now, on these 70 to 80 hectares of scrubland which will be concreted, 136 protected species live. One is particularly at the center of the controversy: the doubtful gladiolus. A plant that we only see during its flowering, in May, whose habitat is being illegally destroyed, according to the SOS Oulala collective.
“No permission”
To modify the environment of this protected species, the Department needs exemptions, which are accompanied by “compensatory measures” (avoidance of the plant, replanting elsewhere, collecting seeds to replant further away, etc.) The Department obtains a first exemption in 2019, then an additional exemption in 2021. The authorization is valid for 30 specimens, then for 20, or 50 doubtful Gladiolus feet in total.
But in May 2023 (flowering period of the doubtful gladiolus), the SOS Oulala collective brought a bailiff to the work site. He noted 286 gladioli plants. A figure further revised upwards a few days later by the French Biodiversity Office (OFB) and the Mediterranean National Botanical Conservatory, which counted 474 plants along the route of the section.
Which leads activists to say today that without legal authorization or exemption concerning all gladiolus plants, the work is illegal. “We checked, the company no longer works where the plants are”, described Hélène Ibert, member of the SOS Oulala collective, on Monday November 27. In fact, the National Biodiversity Office stopped work where the gladioli live on November 20, but they continue further afield.
“Criminal Offence”
Pierrot Pantel is an ecological engineer and legal mission manager for the National Association for Biodiversity. He also went to the work site on November 27, and posted a video on Twitter. Video in which he announces that he was going to file a complaint against the Department of Hérault and the Cazal company, which is managing the work. For him, the “protection” Doubtful gladiolus plants, made via framing with one square meter triangles, are not sufficient.
Contacted by the Fist, he explains: “Without a new administrative exemption, there cannot be any work. Here, there is a criminal offense governed by article 411-1 of the Environmental Code. The habitat of a protected species is protected. The earthworks are equivalent to the destruction of the habitat, therefore the criminal offense is materially characterized. For the moral element, that of intentionality, the OFB report concerning the 474 plants was made public, and the protected species is on a specific list. The Department couldn’t say it didn’t know. “
For its part, the OFB did not wish “express yourself on a current issue”.
As for the press service of the Department of Hérault, it did not respond to our requests.
Elian Barascud
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2023-11-29 17:01:23
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