The site
This site is made up of five distinct units located around the village of Le Thyl, between 1,400 and 1,500 metres above sea level. Covering a total area of approximately 10 hectares, it consists of grazed grasslands and wooded areas.
Key issues
The site displays a remarkable diversity of habitats and species, ranging from dry grasslands and a small wetland area to sometimes lush meadows, alder and ash woodlands with tall herbaceous vegetation, and the presence of former agricultural terraces. These habitats support a wide variety of plant species (Valais fescue, yellow star-of-Bethlehem, etc.), butterflies (Apollo butterfly), reptiles (lizards, green and yellow whip snake), and birds (yellowhammer, tree pipit, boreal tit, etc.). However, overgrazing by cattle, or conversely the encroachment of vegetation on open habitats due to the abandonment of pastoral activities, can threaten this rich biodiversity. These two issues are not necessarily contradictory, as the abandonment of grazing on more difficult areas may be accompanied by an intensification of grazing pressure on more accessible zones.
Partners
Thyl Pastoral Land Association
Objectives
Adapt agricultural practices to the sensitivity of habitats and species; Maintain existing populations of protected plant species in a good state of conservation.
Maintain habitats generally open and reopen them where necessary; Carry out works and developments required to sustain agricultural activity.
Maintain and diversify habitats favorable to the fauna of grasslands, scrublands, and forest environments.
Monitor the evolution of faunal and floral species populations on the site.
Discover…
The yellowhammer