Harvesting seeds at airports

Faced with the gradual disappearance of natural grasslands, rich in biodiversity, the creation and development of indigenous seed sectors using local resources is strongly encouraged.The National Biodiversity Strategy (SNB) emphasises that airport grounds represent around 500 km² of mown grasslands that are conducive to the conservation and restoration of these environments.
Preserved from urban development, these areas are ideal for seed harvesting, thanks in particular to their:

• Composition and extensive management : similar to natural grasslands, often unfertilised and nutrient-poor, thus offering interesting diversity;

• Large flat areas: easy to harvest using brushers or harvesters.

This practice is already being implemented at several airports in partnership with the Conservatoires d'Espaces Naturels (CEN) and the Conservatoires Botaniques Nationaux (CBN) network.

THE CHALLENGES FOR BIODIVERSITY
Sowing harvested local wild seeds can lead to:
- Greater resilience of grasslands to local climatic conditions and diseases;
- Better preservation of genetic heritage;
- Mitigation of the proliferation of exotic species that can become invasive;
- Provision of a resource adapted to local wildlife.

However, these potential benefits depend on the implementation of appropriate maintenance practices (mowing with removal of residues).The ‘Végétal local’ label, owned by the French Office for Biodiversity (OFB), helps to structure the wild and local plant sector. The source site reference map, created by the CBN and managed by the Local Plant network, lists and geo-references potential collection sites to facilitate contact between plot managers and harvest operators.
The seeds harvested are intended for local stakeholders with the aim of restoring natural environments.
For an aerodrome manager, becoming a source site:
- Enables them to make a concrete contribution to the sustainable restoration of local ecosystems;
- Offers them the opportunity to build up their own seed stock for reseeding areas of the aerodrome, for example after construction work;
- Requires neither botanical expertise to identify the species present nor additional resources to carry out the harvesting, which will be done by operators.