Plan for the improvement of phytosanitary and horticultural practices (PAPPH) –Bram- France

National and regulatory context

• Τhe quality of water is degraded by pesticides and pollution related to nitrates in groundwater and surface water.
• The regulation hardens nationally with a final Act of 01.23.2014, which prohibits the use of phytosanitary products to communities on green spaces and home gardeners.
• A drop of phytosanitary product makes it unsuitable for the 10 km over water consumption.


The risk of phytosanitary transfers to the molecules of water networks is important to communities due to the impermeability of the treated surfaces.

Objectives of PAPPH:

• limit the impact from the use of phytosanitary products on the environment,
• significantly reduce the use of pesticides in the municipality,
• implement a differentiated management,
• improve the perception of the natural flora,
• propose various alternative techniques adapted on roads and green spaces.

Working methodology

• 2 audits: Road network and Green Spaces
• 2 field phases: Road network and Green Spaces
- Digitizing roads and green areas which are chemically weeded: GIS database + ACCESS base,
- Risk Characterization Highways and Green Spaces: Map of risk,
- Recommendations of alternative techniques on roads: Recommendations Cards
- Identification of green spaces: Map of the differentiated management,
- Recommendations on green areas: Sheets of green spaces,
- Documents issued: Mulching, Vegetable Palette, Invasive Plants,
- 1 full report of the study, 1 synthesis, 1 data sheet for the ST,
• 1pilot site
• 1 public meeting and 1 city council meeting
• 2 ½ days of theme training for agents
• intermediate and final communications tools

Next steps

• Phytosanitary Audit:
- Personal, vehicles, PPE, equipment, maintenance
- Products, storage, filling area
- Maintained Zones, providers
• Green Spaces Audit:
- Fertilizing, watering, plant palette
- Design, floral, land cover
- Differentiated management, providers
• Definition of risk
- Environmental
- Health
• Proposal for a differentiated management
• Recommendation of maintenance techniques
- Acceptance of the natural flora
- Prevention of the growth by mulching
- Establishment of a mediterranean plant palette
- Prevention of the development design
- Scheduled sweeping
- Brushing
- Grass Cutting
- Pulling up roots
- Thermal Weeding
• Field Road networks
- Visit any roads chemically weeded: right and left sectors
- Weeding Recommendation and / or grass management and / or development
• Field Green Spaces
- Quantitative and qualitative inventories of green spaces
- Classification of Green Spaces according to type and use
Modality of the Grant
• Water Agency
- 80% alternative equipment
- 40% of sweepers
- 80% supplies to the pilot site + communication
- 80% agent training off Certiphyto
• General Council of the Aude
- 30% alternative equipment and sweeper
- 30% component communication for amateur gardeners

Advantages of the municipality of Bram:

•    Elected officials and agents seem to be involved in the proceedings and engines to implement new techniques for weed control and management of green spaces.
•    3 agents spent the Certiphyto. The agents already know the regulatory constraints related to the use of phytosanitary products, especially regarding PPE, preparing porridge, place drain / flush.
•    A full update on the latest regulatory standards will be made during the Phytosanitary audit.
•    Some agents attended the demonstration day for alternative techniques organized by the General Council of the Aude during the current year 2014.
•    Elected representatives and technical services know the importance of the passage of a sweeper in the context of preventing the lifting of the flora. They have one but it did not offset the 3rd arm for the management of sidewalks.
•    The ROTOFIL is already used to manage grassed areas rather than weeding.
•    The reduction targets for the use of crop protection products are established for 3 years.
•    The time to move to the state of weed and grass management will increase, but it mainly depends on the municipality's ability to implement a differentiated management of roads and green spaces and the degree of acceptance of the grass.

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