EAUX DU NORD-GDF SUEZ restores biodiversity to company sites

The Ansereuilles water plant, which is the test site for the initiative, produces 20 million cubic meters of drinking water each year, making it the largest plant in the metropolitan Lille water system. It is located in the heart of Parc de la Deûle.
In the past, the site was maintained using the traditional methods of mowing and pruning. In recognition of the Year of Biodiversity, however, EAUX DU NORD gave new impetus to its partnership with the Espace Naturel Lille Métropole and expanded its collaboration with Vitamine T, which provides staff from reintegration programs to maintain the site.
EAUX DU NORD supplied the necessary resources to bring in technicians from the Espace Naturel Lille Métropole, who prepared a natural environment management plan. The first step of the initiative was diagnosing the area in question by developing a system to classify areas by existing activities; this system served as the basis for an environmental diagnostic. Next, the teams of people working toward social reintegration began to restore the site's biodiversity. Over several weeks, an intensive environmental engineering effort was accomplished. The teams mowed, seeded and planted the area until it was once again a welcoming place where plants and animals could thrive.
Their work successfully turned a functional location into an operating environmental park by giving free rein to biodiversity. This initiative will be expanded to additional EAUX DU NORD sites and may be offered to other companies.  

Best Practice selected by the World Florum Lille 2010 and updated in 2011.