A bit of history
At the beginning of the 20th century, the Haviland family, then owners of the Mas Marvent, designed an English style park including the pond around the castle. The pond was created by digging a pool directly into the stream which crosses the site, which is against current environmental legislation.
In recent years, the pond’s ecological condition degraded, and Shambhala Europe decided to consider its removal and the restoration of the water body. Dechen Chöling and Shambhala Europe engaged in talks to re-establish the natural watercourse of the stream, restoring a healthy eco-system and keeping the element of water and a rich breeding ground for bio-diversity on the site.
A re-creation of a landscape more respectful of the watercourse and its inhabitants
The creation of the pond in the stream gravely disrupted its natural flow, leading to stagnation and warming of the water in summer. These conditions favor the evaporation and the growth of algae and bacteria, which are harmful to the species present in the pond as well as those downstream.
However, the pond also allowed for certain species, such as frogs and dragonflies, to establish themselves. This is why smaller pools of water, not directly connected to the water stream, are part of the design of the future landscape. These will be a rich breeding ground for biodiversity while at the same time allowing the stream to flow freely.
A collaborative process
Throughout this ecological restoration project, Dechen Chöling benefited from support from the Etablissement Public Territorial du Bassin de la Vienne (EPTB Vienne) who then held project management responsibilities under an agreement. The entire operation was financed by the Natalie project, a European Union initiative promoting Nature-Based Solutions to face climate change.
More info about the organizations:
Natalie Project: www.natalieproject.eu – (english)
EPTB Vienne: www.eptb-vienne.fr – (french)