|
|
|
|
pond
of the Loge |
|
Etang
de la Loge In the Champagne wetlands, the
clayey subsoil allowed the creation of a multitude
of ponds from the Middle Ages onwards. There is
no need to dig, simply dam a small river and its
stream quickly fills up the shallow bowl, the
pond created is good for both flora and
fauna, and human activities.
In the territory of the Park, the monks from
the local abbeys created many ponds (probably
more than 200), for fish farming (traditionally
the carp), the drainage and the improvement
of neighbouring lands, after the forest had been
cleared. These ponds were mostly established in
chains along the course of a stream, thus allowing
a collective hydraulic management . |
|
Today,
more than 70 ponds survive in the Park,
the others have disappeared, with the passing
of the centuries, either naturally (the dams
of former Templar ponds are still visible in the
Forκt d'Orient), or by human intervention
(creation of reservoirs, cultivation...). Man
is closely linked to the pond ecosystem and
this rich anthropic milieu in terms of
natural heritage, can only survive with a thoughtful
long-term management.
All the ponds in the Park are private and
the majority of them are still extensively managed
, either for fishing (traditional yearly fishing
by drainage) or for hunting(tracking)... Some
owner's welcome fishermen
The " management " of the heritage has
enabled the flowering of a rich and remarkable
wild fauna, notably insects, amphibians and
birds. The ponds also conceal a multitude
of aquatic plant species and paludals.
This ecological and economic heritage is threatened
today : decline in the market for freshwater
fish, intensification of practices, abandonment,
or the emergence of new leisure activities ...
Facing this phenomenon, the Park in collaboration
with the owners and administrators of the ponds
and with the financial support of the regional
Council and water board ,has launched a pilot
scheme for the lasting management of the ponds
of the Champagne wetlands, it aims to better
understand and improve this remarkable heritage.
|
|
|
The
rivers
|
|
| The territory of the Park benefits from a dense and varied hydrographic network, an integral part of the basin of the Seine and its main tributary the Aube.
|
|
|
The
creation of the reservoirs for the Seine
and then the Aube have in part modified deeply the
course and the working of these rivers, but they
have nevertheless preserved a landscape and biology
worthy of interest .
Both rivers have pisicultural resources making them
good for fishing and the Aube is good for
canoeing. |
|
|
|
