La Madrague in the heartland of the Landes de Gascogne Regional Nature Park La Madrague : preserved fauna and flora La Madrague : preserve ecosystems La Madrague : pionnier of non-labour

Respecting Nature

Conservation of Biodiversity, Soil and Water

We are committed to protecting the environment and to sustainable development in order to achieve several objectives :

  • Preserving water ressources
  • Preserving the quality of our soil
  • Producing safe, healthy vegetables
  • Protecting biodiversity


Biodiversity

Biodiversity is linked to sustainable agriculture and we have committed to following programmes such as :

  • Socrates, led by Blédina experts and in partnership with technical centres, consisting of clean crop production with limited pesticides and an emphasis on biocontrol products. We have carried out several trials to study the benefits of fallow land planted with flowers. These areas attract crop auxiliaries, encouraging the presence of bees and providing shelter for fauna.
  • Bee Friendly, similarly in partnership with Blédina, which focuses on the development and protection of pollinating insects.

 

We have noticed that this has resulted in increased number of vertebrate and invertebrate insects in the arable layers (horizon 35/40 cm).

Preserving our soil and reducing our carbon footprint

To reduce our carbon footprint as much as possible, we have a packing station on both our production sites. We wash and pack our vegetables as soon as they are harvested and as close to the land on which they were grown as possible, thereby preserving their freshness.

In our workshops, we develop machines that help preserve soil and reduce soil compaction.

Our extensive experience over the years now enables us to reduce our carbon impact, which we store up over the year. In fact, after each harvest, we plant a new crop or a green fertilizer in order to encourage air and water circulation in the soil.

Preserving water

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We control the amount of irrigation water given to our crops on the basis of the plant’s actual needs thanks to the use of tensiometers. These sensors analyze soil humidity levels in real time and inform the meteorological stations installed on each plot of land. The information is transmitted to the office in real time, making it possible for us to control remotely the amount of water that is provided to ensure that the correct quantities are given at the right time. Water management is recorded throughout the crop production cycle.

For crops sown between June and the end of July we add a layer of shredded bark to encourage the carrot seedlings to grow whilst protecting the seed cuticle. This additional layer also allows us to make water savings during this critical stage of development.