Vin du Pays de Herve is a cooperative started in 2017, a project where locals invested in building a local vineyard. They aim to create over 10ha of bio vineyard, with respect for the environment and biodiversity. The head of the farming operations currently aims to reshape the vineyard to further promote biodiversity. This will be done through:
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Vin du Pays de Herve is a cooperative started in 2017, a project where locals invested in building a local vineyard. They aim to create over 10ha of bio vineyard, with respect for the environment and biodiversity. The head of the farming operations currently aims to reshape the vineyard to further promote biodiversity. This will be done through:
• Planting tiered hedges along the edges of the plots (as a shelter for foxes, birds, and other animals), thereby doubling certain existing hedges and creating new ones
• Create flowered strips along the edges of the plots to attract more bees.
• Further vegetation creation on slopes to prevent erosion, installing ponds, increasing the number of perches,....
• Improve collaboration with local shepherds to control weed growth and with a local beekeeper for the installation of beehives.
We aim to support this project by helping to fund the plantation of 5794 trees in the season of 2024-2025, many of which will be hedges. Various native species will be used in five nearby sites. In addition to its obvious ecological importance for biodiversity (animal habitats, soil conservation, water management, air quality), there are many other social, landscape, tourism and economic benefits. Vin du Pays de Herve wants to connect the plots to existing hiking trails and create educational panels on animal life (wildlife, small animals, insects) and local flora. Several hiking trails already run along the vineyard plots and one of them, 22 km long, goes around them. In addition, a winery is an important living and meeting place suitable for organizing events, trainings, facility visits, vineyard presentations, etc.
Vin du Pays de Herve has already applied for public subsidies for the planting of hedgerows, but this support will not be sufficient to implement the entire project. Moreover, they do not have all the technical expertise required for this development. This is also why there’s a collaboration with Go Forest and technical partner Sylva Nova.
Plantation updates:
- Planting period: The trees were planted between March 25 and April 1, 2025.
- 5794 trees were planted, of which 2701 were funded through Go Forest: Species included 22% field maple, 16% hornbeam, 15% hawthorn, 10% guelder rose, 10% Cornelian cherry, 5% alder buckthorn, 5% spindle, 5% bird cherry, 3% dog rose, 2% fly honeysuckle, and smaller proportions of elder, rowan, sessile oak, bloodtwig dogwood, hazel, eared willow, white willow, Norway maple, sweet chestnut, pedunculate oak, pear, apple, and walnut.
- Monitoring summary: Trees were planted in double or triple staggered rows over 1,720 meters. The terrain was occasionally rocky but did not significantly hinder progress.
- Maintenance: Future clearing will be done if herbaceous vegetation competes too strongly with the young trees.