Description
The Human - Wildlife Initiative, sensitive to the damage caused by storm Alex in the hinterland of Nice, supports local actors in their reconstruction activities and in particular the Mercantour National Park in its efforts to rehabilitate hiking trails.
Hiking trails limit the impact of man to a defined area. It is therefore necessary to rehabilitate the existing paths as soon as possible so as not to allow walkers to wander around looking for the least difficult route, at the risk of trampling on the rare fauna and flora that make up the richness of the Park.
The Sabion pass trail, in the heart of the Mercantour National Park, is a cross-border path between France and Italy. The trail is part of the historical pastoral routes. In the past, shepherds engraved signs on the surrounding slabs of schist, as they did in the Valley of Wonders. Today, this route is still heavily used by herds of cows and sheep, as well as by horsemen.
The degradation of the path over time and the passage of herds of cows and sheep has been long known. The Mercantour National Park undertook a substantial amount of work in 2005, using traditional techniques and know-how for restoring mountain trails.
However, the site has suffered considerable damage from storm Alex and the path poses a real safety risk to users, making it impossible for herds to cross. The construction of support structures is essential.
