The CHAROLAIS BOCAGE Project

Assessment of the bocage landscape of the Charolais-Brionnais region and comparison with similar landscape in the world CHAROLAIS BOCAGE

2017- Coordinator: UMR BAGAP BAGAP Contact: Jacques Baudry BAGAP Research Area: Landscape modeling and analysis Website Keywords: cultural landscape, hedgerows, UNESCO

Research

Context and Objectives

The Charolais cattle breed is present all over the world. Our objective is to obtain the recognition of the landscape of the Pays Charolais-Brionnais as a heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, the evolving cultural landscape of the cradle of the Charolais cattle breed.

Jacques Baudry's task is to analyze the local landscape, a bocage with specific hedgerows, and to compare it with other bocages in the world to demonstrate the unicity of this landscape, its capacity to epitomize the different structures and functions of hedgerows.

Methodology

The analysis is a mix of field study, bibliography and the use of knowledge on a large variety of landscapes. Similar analysis is done for all the cultural aspects of the site (history, Charolais breed development, architecture, etc.).

First Results

At the end of  2017, the French ministry of Culture decided to accept the project on the lists of sites that might be submitted to UNESCO after more in depth analysis and the establishment of a management plan.

BAGAP Staff Involved

Jacques Baudry 

Partner and Funding

Pays Charolais-Brionnais