Modern viticulture in Bordeaux faces several existential threats. Water scarcity, extreme weather events, loss of biodiversity and climate change as a whole question the sustainability of current practices in viticulture with regard to extensive deployment of pesticides and fungicides, the extraction of big amounts of groundwater and increasing soil degradation. While other solutions address one problem at a time, there is a concept that focuses on the entire “ecosystem vineyard”, presenting the most sustainable solution to the adaptation to developments in the future: Vitiforestry. Regional and communal authorities in Bordeaux must consider its implementation.
The cultivation of trees and crops (or animals) on the same plot is being referred to as agroforestry. Vitiforestry is a concept that applies agroforestry to vineyards. Re-integrating the grapevine into diverse tree- and shrub-filled landscapes does not only present numerous advantages, but also associates the savage liana vitis vinifera with its original habitat – the forest. Vineyards that include features from agroforestry suffer less pest infections, create more biodiversity and preserve soil resilience. They are also better prepared for future challenges such as drought periods and create high-quality grapes.
This policy brief will give an overview of vitiforestry and its advantages. It will also show why and how vitiforestry should be implemented in Bordeaux.
- Quote paper
- Henri Zimmer (Author), 2022, Vitiforestry in "Bordeaux Rive Droite". The solution to save viticulture, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/1450623
