On 20 January 2022, two members of the LIFE SOS Crau Grasshopper team, Lisbeth Zechner (Conservatoire d’espaces naturels de Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur) and Perrine Turiez (Bouches-du-Rhône Chamber of Agriculture), presented the projet to the trainees on the BPA “shepherd-transhumant” course at the Montpellier agronomy institute “domane du Merle” in Salon-de-Provence (Bouches-du-Rhône).
Rencontre avec des bergers étudiants, Plaine de la Crau (13) © Lisbeth Zechner - CEN PACA
The discussion focused on the Crau plain, its grazing activity and its biodiversity. This was followed by a presentation of the Crau Plain Grasshopper and the LIFE project, and a time for reflection in small groups on future collaboration with the shepherds. Pastoral practices in the coussoul, the involvement of shepherds in the observation of birds linked to their sheepflocks, as well as their role in the elaboration of educational activities were discussed in detail.
A moment rich in mutual learning! Thank you to Frédéric Laurent, who was in charge of the training, for this initiative!
Finally you can observe them – for real! Or almost…
This spring, our team has prepared a whole programme to discover the Crau Plain Grasshopper
The first hatchings of Crau Plain Grasshopper in 2023 took place at the beginning of April and observations of the first juveniles are multiplying by the day!
She cuts, assembles, glues, paints and articulates pieces of paper. She sculpts organic figures, plants, animals, then animates them. Her works transpire a naturalist sensitivity at the “edge of the brush”.