Land development/Landscaping
Business parks (PAE)A business park (PAE), sometimes called a business zone (ZAE), is defined here as being a geographic area dedicated to economic/business activity. It may comprise both industries and companies from the tertiary sector. often seen as areas suffering from a lack of development and maintenance of their green spacesLawns, flower meadows, hedges, shrubberies, standard trees. On a business park (PAE), green spaces may be public (owned by a public developer) or private (plots belonging to various companies on the business park)., in terms of private plots (companies) and public plots (public developer(s).
Furthermore, companies that plant their private plots do so in a traditional manner: using a few trees, short grass (mowed lawns), fertilisers and pesticides. This type of maintenance has an environmental impact: a deterioration in water quality, fragmentation of natural areas, low biodiversitybiodiversity Diversity of natural habitats, animal and plant species and their genes.…
The challenge is therefore to see the company and the business park as a component in the ecological networkThe interconnections between natural entities in a territory form a network, which is more or less dense and operational. A dense network ensures free circulation of animal and plant species. Migrations of species between natural environments are necessary for their survival: access to breeding grounds, maintaining genetic diversity, preserving vast natural environments that are rich in ecological habitats, etc., and to promote eco-development and differentiated management of private and public plots.
These actions in favour of biodiversity appear beneficial for the company and the business park as a whole:
- the attractiveness of the landscape and brand image,
- the well being of employees and productivity,
- a reduction in the cost of maintaining open spaces.
Before taking any action, an initial assessment is necessary. Once needs have been identified, an action plan can be defined.
The Life-SMIGIN project The LIFE-SMIGIN project (Sustainable Management by Interactive Governance and Industrial Networking) is funded by the European Commission’s LIFE programme, and by subsidies that the Union Wallonne des Entreprises (Walloon Business Federation) receives from the Walloon Region for its missions to raise awareness of pollution prevention, the rational use of energy and land development. It is managed by the Union Wallonne des Entreprises (Walloon Business Federation) and operates in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Valenciennois.has trialled a number of projects, described and organised in three categories: