Precious ecosystem
On the rocks and mountains, the natural environments are mainly composed of limestone lawns, cliffs and scree. They are the fruit of human exploitation which favored the birth of a particular ecosystem, rich and subservient to this microregion. Today protected by the Natura 2000 system, these fragile and threatened environments are the subject of all attention.
Where nature and the hand of man combine
Over time, human intervention has profoundly altered the landscape and original environments of the site. Initially covered in forest, the summits of the Roches de Solutré and Vergisson (as well as those of Mont de Pouilly, and, outside the Grand Site area, Monsard in Bussières and Bois de Fée – Mont de Leynes) were cleared for agriculture. Until the mid-19th century , mixed farming was widespread on farms, with livestock representing a necessary supplementary income. Women and children took the animals to graze on the grasslands of the Roches. Grazing and regular burning maintained the environment. The plants had to adapt to very poor soil that was very dry in summer, building up significant reserves in their leaves and stems. The vegetation was so nutrient-rich that it allowed the animals to be fattened, leading to the grazing areas being called fattening meadows . Today, they support a specific habitat: calcareous grasslands (or limestone grasslands). These areas are vast expanses of short grass, also called teppes , covering poor, shallow soil. This same plant formation is found continuously, from south to north, on the ridges of the rocks and hills of the Mâconnais region.
Located just below the climatic divide between north and south, the Mâconnais region experiences a continental climate with Mediterranean influences tempered by some Atlantic and mountain influences. These meteorological phenomena, the coexistence of crystalline, calcareous, and clay-limestone soils (the rapid disappearance of rainwater in the numerous fissures makes the soil dry and arid), the altitude of the terrain, and its exposure all contribute to the richness of the environment.
Wildlife reigns supreme here. The mosaic of cliffs, calcareous grasslands, and forest offers ideal nesting areas for the Ortolan Bunting, the Eurasian Eagle-Owl, and the Common Raven. The Woodlark, the Red-backed Shrike, and the European Nightjar appreciate the grassy areas of the calcareous grasslands dotted with bushes.
In a colorful flurry, insects such as the Scarce Swallowtail, the Praying Mantis, and the Turquoise Grasshopper are very common on the rocks. Many reptiles show their scales during the warmer months, when the Two-banded Lizard and the Green and Yellow Whip Snake may be seen.
But wealth in danger
Originating from a pastoral heritage, the limestone grasslands are recognized as emblematic environments of Burgundy. Today they form "biodiversity hotspots", but are severely threatened with disappearance.
In the 1950s, monoculture replaced mixed farming. The exclusive cultivation of vines allowed families to make a living without supplementary livestock farming, thus neglecting less productive and difficult-to-cultivate areas. The limestone grasslands were abandoned , giving nature the opportunity to reclaim them. Broom and downy oaks took root along the paths, and boxwood flourished in numerous thickets, whose roots threaten to fracture the rocks and thus accelerate erosion.
This closing of the environment , that is to say the increased presence of trees, the first step towards the restoration of the original forest, is a natural and climax evolution . But it is disastrous for the landscape and for the biological diversity that calcareous grasslands support.
Other threats weigh on this rich and fragile environment:
- registration, common in the 80s, ends up spreading if it is not checked regularly,
- the development ofinvasive species coming from the embankments and gardens (robinia false acacias, sumac),
- le trampling visitors,
- sports and leisure activities, off-road vehicles.
The Roche de Vergisson has been subject to a prefectural decree for biotope protection since June 13, 1991. More broadly, the biological diversity present here, characterized by the presence of rare species and remarkable plant communities, is recognized at the European level: the Roches de Solutré and Vergisson, the Mont de Pouilly, the Bois de Fée and the Monsard, are now integrated into the Natura 2000 network . These five landforms are also listed in the inventory of Type I Natural Areas of Ecological, Faunistic and Floristic Interest ( ZNIEFF ).