Making an Impact
Restoring Biodiversity One Tree at a Time by Claire Langrée Saf Such initiatives are starting in Southeast Asia; however, the impact measurement is still loose. France has a sustainability certification and control system in place, and carbon footprint measures are common practice. It also helps to know the vintner and his commitment to the task at hand, since the labor required to look after the recreation of a biodiverse environment is significant. These vintner initiatives are remarkable examples of a private initiative to transform a large plot of land for the good of our environment, shifting from an individual to a community focus. Focus on Oak Trees? Here’s Why… Traditionally, oak trees live for over 200 years and up to 1000 years. They do not get ill and their seeds survive well because they are encased in a hard shell. The leaves and acorns are covered in tannic acid which keeps them resilient and resistant to fungi and potentially harmful insects. There are hundreds of different species of oak, and they grow slowly with deep roots. An oak tree provides shade, and it does not break under extreme weather conditions.
Claire and Aude Bression-Lourdeaux With Their First Oak Tree
As the sun was setting on a cold autumn day in France, Aude and Boris Bression-Lourdeaux and I planted the first of over 1,000 trees on their 5-hectare champagne estate. Earlier in 2021, a hedge of 150 meters had been planted, as part of the estate’s continued effort to improve water retention, increase CO2 capture and reinstate a biodiverse environment. Global Impact From Singapore to France From our home in Singapore, my husband and I had been looking for an investment from which we could see the results firsthand. We found the project we were looking for with Bression-Lourdeaux Champagne at their estate in the Marne Valley in France. For this project, 1,200 different trees will be planted on their plot of land to recreate the biodiverse environment it once was. While, oak trees are the main species being planted, “there will be about ten different species including hazelnut trees, as the first source of pollen for bees, lime-trees for honey and hornbeams,” says Aude Bression-Lourdeaux. There will also be a few fruit trees to feed the birds and help produce honey. This endeavor will be built, grown, and maintained entirely through manual labor, state subsidies and private sponsors. 14
AWA Magazine March/April 2022
Boris Bression Working His Estate
