In 2022, PlantC, CIPF, Phitech, and Valbiom launched the competition ‘Green Infrastructure for Agriculture and the Region’. Thierry Catteau, the 2022 competition winner, saw his project come to fruition!
The objective? To technically and financially support an exemplary agricultural planting project contributing to the climate resilience of our region.
Thierry Catteau and Les Coteaux des Deux Tilleuls, 2022 winner
Following a jury selection and a public vote, a hedge planting project in a wine-growing area was selected. The project by Côteaux des Deux Tilleuls, located in Écaussinnes, consists of planting a hedge, as well as standard fruit trees within the 5-hectare vineyard itself.
This initiative has two main objectives:
- To generate biodiversity and attract beneficial insects for the vines, with the project being part of pesticide-free agriculture.
- To ultimately limit wind exposure for the grapevines.
The 2022 Award-Winning Project: A Participatory Initiative Taking Root
This winter, this project came to fruition with increased scope! Now, 450 meters of hedges and 20 standard fruit trees are coming to life. The hedge, created using container-grown plants, can benefit from a biodegradable mulching strip made of hemp. We will closely monitor the growth of hawthorns, bird cherries, dogwoods, hazelnut trees, wild roses, wayfaring trees, buckthorns, hornbeams, and field maples.
The project was also participatory. Supervised by the company Phitech, over twenty volunteers responded to the call, as part of the community that has rallied around the vineyard. The particularly windy and rainy conditions did not dampen the determination and diligence of the cheerful group! A convivial atmosphere was enhanced by our hosts of the day, who did not hesitate to feed and refresh the volunteers once the work was done! We will be back!
The Vine and the Hedge
Increasingly, hedges and isolated trees are returning to vineyards. Long considered an obstacle, woody networks are regaining a prominent place in viticultural production, seeking to amplify populations of beneficial insects in order to limit or eliminate the use of chemicals. Hedges can also help mitigate the impact of extreme weather conditions on vines.
Species for this type of project are carefully chosen. Indeed, while many of them prove to be true allies, others can be undesirable hosts for certain grapevine diseases.
