FR - LIFE SOURCES, or how a region takes action to protect water & soil in the face of climate change.
A brief presentation
After several years of planning and preparation, the LIFE SOURCES project officially entered its operational phase on 1 January 2026.
Presented at the Maison de la Culture in Saint-Bonnet-du-Gard on 24 June, ‘in the presence of technical and scientific partners, co-funders, representatives of the Gard Department, the Occitanie Region, government departments and local stakeholders committed to preserving water resources’, LIFE SOURCES is a European project designed to address climate challenges.
Overview
Led by the Syndicat mixte des gorges du Gardon (SMGG), the Communauté de communes du Pont du Gard (CCPG) and their partners, this European programme is now one of the main regional initiatives for adapting to climate change in the Gard department.
The strength of LIFE lies in its holistic approach
Beyond the actions it implements, LIFE SOURCES stands out for its holistic approach. The project brings together local authorities, farmers, scientists, organisations and local residents to develop concrete solutions that are scientifically evaluated and can be replicated in other Mediterranean regions facing the same climate challenges.
A European project to tackle climate challenges
The area of the Gardon Gorges and the lower Gardon catchment is particularly vulnerable to the consequences of climate change. Droughts and heatwaves are becoming more frequent; groundwater tables are taking longer to recharge; soil quality is deteriorating; and extreme rainfall events alternate with periods of water scarcity.
Faced with these changes, local authorities, farmers, residents and economic stakeholders must adapt their practices and strengthen the region’s resilience.
|
LIFE SOURCES? Solutions d’Optimisation des Usages et Réflexion Collective sur l’Eau et les Sols (Solutions for Optimising Water and Soil Use and Collective Reflection on Water and Soils).
|
36 municipalities, 700 km² and support over 6 years
It is against this backdrop that the LIFE SOURCES project was launched, standing for Solutions d’Optimisation des Usages et Réflexion Collective sur l’Eau et les Sols (Solutions for Optimising Water Use and Collective Reflection on Water and Soils). Spanning 36 municipalities between Dions, Uzès, Nîmes and Aramon, the project covers nearly 700 km² and involves more than 200,000 residents.
Over the course of six years, the project will support local authorities, farmers and local stakeholders in implementing demonstration initiatives designed to conserve water, restore soils, develop nature-based solutions and raise long-term awareness amongst residents.
Funding for SOURCES
The LIFE SOURCES project represents a total investment of 9.5 million euros to help the region adapt to climate change. It is supported by the European Union’s LIFE programme, which funds 60 per cent of its budget. Its selection from among the projects chosen at European level is a testament to the programme’s quality and innovative nature.
The project also relies on the commitment of major local funding partners. The Rhône-Méditerranée-Corse Water Agency and the Compagnie Nationale du Rhône (CNR) have therefore chosen to support its implementation and are helping to strengthen its impact on local authorities, farmers, residents and economic stakeholders.
The consortium’s partners are also contributing to the programme’s funding and are continuing their efforts to engage new public and private partners in order to finalise the funding plan and further expand the initiatives already underway. This momentum reflects the interest generated by the project and the shared commitment to making a long-term investment in the conservation of water resources, soil quality and the region’s resilience to climate change.
Four objectives to build a more resilient region and manage water more effectively
The LIFE SOURCES project is based on a holistic approach that aims to address water use, soil quality, public awareness and the sustainability of solutions simultaneously.
It supports farmers, local authorities, residents and tourism stakeholders in moving towards more frugal and efficient uses of water resources.
Revitalising soils whilst educating and raising awareness amongst the public
Soil is the region’s primary water reservoir. LIFE SOURCES supports initiatives that enhance its capacity to naturally infiltrate, store and release water. Collective buy-in is essential for success. The project includes numerous awareness-raising, training and knowledge-sharing activities aimed at all sections of the public.
LIFE SOURCES: ensuring long-term impact
The solutions being trialled must be able to be integrated into local public policy on a sustainable basis and serve as a source of inspiration for other Mediterranean regions facing the same challenges.
What about the initial actions already underway?
Six months after its launch, the LIFE SOURCES project has fully entered its operational phase. The partners are currently working on preparing support for farmers to adopt more resilient practices, establishing a local on-farm composting scheme, identifying pilot micro-catchment areas to trial measures that promote water infiltration, supporting local authorities in achieving water savings and implementing integrated stormwater management, developing an awareness-raising framework to serve as the basis for future educational activities, creating communication and outreach tools for the project, and establishing scientific monitoring protocols to objectively measure the results achieved.
|
Why are soils essential for water? When we talk about water management, we often think of rivers, dams or groundwater. However, soil is the region’s primary water reserve. Living soil rich in organic matter acts like a sponge: it absorbs rainfall, limits runoff, reduces erosion and gradually releases water back to plants and natural habitats. On the other hand, compacted, degraded or sealed soil allows less water to infiltrate and exacerbates the effects of both droughts and periods of heavy rainfall. Restoring soil functions therefore helps us to better cope with water shortages and to limit the consequences of heavy rainfall.
|
Integrated Stormwater Management (ISWM)
Among the first initiatives launched is a Call for Expressions of Interest aimed at local authorities and public bodies in the region. The aim is to identify development projects that could incorporate Integrated Stormwater Management (Gestion Intégrée des Eaux Pluviales, GIEP) solutions.
This approach involves treating rainwater as a resource rather than as waste to be disposed of. It aims to encourage its infiltration as close as possible to where it falls through appropriate measures: vegetated swales, permeable pavements, filtering tree pits, rain gardens, temporary storage areas and the removal of impervious surfaces in public spaces.
|
Integrated Stormwater Management involves managing rainwater as close as possible to where it falls, rather than quickly discharging it into drainage networks or watercourses. The aim is to restore the water’s more natural behaviour by promoting its infiltration, temporary storage and evapotranspiration. In practical terms, this involves simple and effective measures: planted swales, rain gardens, infiltrating tree pits, permeable surfacing, removing impervious surfaces from car parks, and rainwater harvesting. Beyond water management, these solutions offer numerous benefits: creating cooling islands, improving the living environment, promoting biodiversity, reducing the risk of flooding and replenishing groundwater. |
Beyond water management, these developments also contribute to the creation of cooling islands, the improvement of the living environment, biodiversity and the adaptation of towns and cities to climate change.
The selected projects will receive technical and financial support to enable them to become models for the whole country.
The first local authorities to receive support will be selected in the coming months with a view to developing demonstration projects that can be replicated across the region.
The local composting scheme supporting farmers
The LIFE SOURCES project has launched the creation of a local composting scheme to recycle the region’s organic matter for the benefit of agricultural soils. The first steps are now underway: a map of potential sources and a database listing the main available resources (green waste, manure, agricultural residues, bio-waste, etc.) are being finalised to organise their mobilisation.
At the same time, initial discussions with volunteer farmers are helping to identify future micro-composting platforms and prepare partnership agreements.
These initial steps will enable the micro-platforms to be gradually rolled out and a genuine local organic waste recovery sector to be established. Ultimately, 22 micro-platforms will produce up to 10,000 tonnes of compost per year. Used directly on farms, this compost will bring about a lasting improvement in soil structure and the soil’s capacity to infiltrate and store water, whilst reducing run-off. This circular economy approach will transform resources that are currently under-utilised into a practical tool for helping agriculture adapt to climate change.
A collaborative project involving eight partners
The LIFE SOURCES project is based on a consortium bringing together complementary expertise in the fields of water, agriculture, the environment, awareness-raising and research: Syndicat mixte des gorges du Gardon, the Pont du Gard Community of Communes, EPTB Gardons (Public Territorial Basin Authority), the Gard Chamber of Agriculture, the Gard Departmental Federation of CIVAMs, AGROOF (Agroforestry), the Gard CPIE (House of Nature and the Environment – Gard Nature and Environment Education Network), AgroParisTech, INRAE (National Institute for Agricultural, Food and Environmental Research) and IRD (Institute of Research for Development). SICTOMU (the Inter-municipal Union for the Collection and Treatment of Household Waste in the Uzès region) and Camp des Garrigues are also closely involved in several of the programme’s initiatives.
|
Did you know? Camp des Garrigues is part of the LIFE NaturArmy (Army and Biodiversity) project, and builds on the pilot scheme carried out at local level as part of LIFE Défense Nature 2Mil, a co-management initiative between the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment and the Syndicat mixte des gorges du Gardon. Its main achievements include: 95 ha of restored Mediterranean grasslands, 200 ha of military land used for grazing, two population nuclei of wild rabbits established, the preservation of the bird fauna associated with open habitats, including 10 threatened species, and the opening of new training areas, alongside improvements to maintenance and fire protection. Camp des Garrigues is one of four pilot military sites in France, alongside Camp de Chambaran in Drôme-Isère, the Aspretto Naval Base in southern Corsica and Mont Caume in the Var (Armée et Biodiversité). |
LIFE SOURCES in figures
The LIFE SOURCES project covers 36 municipalities, 699 km² of territory, over 200,000 inhabitants, a six-year programme, 10 technical and scientific partners, and four main areas of focus.
Many thanks to Lydie Defos du Rau, Project Manager for Sustainable Development, Energy Transition and Communication at the Syndicat mixte des gorges du Gardon, for the press release from which the main paragraphs of this article are taken.
For further information: Syndicat mixte des gorges du Gardon, 2 rue de la pente, 30190 Sainte-Anastasie, www.gorgesdugardon.fr.