Grand Bourg Agglomération and Saône-Beaujolais, France
Ongoing implementation
Landscape level
The Marathon of Biodiversity is a regional initiative launched by the Rhône–Mediterranean–Corsica Water Agency to restore ecological connectivity by re-establishing hedgerows and ponds across agricultural and peri-urban landscapes. Originating in the Saône-Beaujolais area and now replicated in multiple territories, the project mobilises local administrations, farmers, schools, and citizens to co-create 42 km of hedges and 42 ponds per “marathon.” The model combines community engagement with targeted ecological planning, improving biodiversity, soil and water regulation, and climate resilience.
Over 70% of France’s hedges have disappeared in 75 years due to agricultural intensification, leading to loss of habitat connectivity, water regulation capacity, and soil conservation. Ponds—vital for amphibians, aquatic plants, and wetland biodiversity—have also declined. The Rhône–Mediterranean–Corsica Water Agency, funded by a water consumption tax, launched a 2016 call for projects linking water and biodiversity. The *Marathon of Biodiversity* emerged from this call, first piloted by the Saône-Beaujolais intercommunal area, and subsequently expanded to other territories including Grand Bourg Agglomération.
The Marathon of Biodiversity links water management and biodiversity restoration through participatory, measurable local challenges. Each participating territory identifies priority sites for ecological continuity (blue–green–turquoise grids) and commits to creating or restoring 42 km of hedges and 42 ponds. Activities are guided by expert technical support and joint conventions between project leaders, local governments, and the Water Agency. The model institutionalises local biodiversity action while fostering civic engagement and visible progress toward ecosystem connectivity goals.
Grand Bourg Agglomération implemented the “Marathon of Biodiversity” to restore ecological continuity by rebuilding hedge and pond networks that act as wildlife corridors and support both terrestrial and wetland biodiversity. The delivery model combined technical prioritisation with formalised multi-stakeholder governance: 14 stakeholders (local administration, water agency, technical experts, NGOs, and representative bodies) signed a common convention, complemented by specific conventions covering practical delivery needs such as plant and accessory supply, installation of protections, and planting operations. Implementation began with mapping and prioritisation, identifying existing wetlands and watercourses (“blue grid”) and biodiversity reservoirs and movement areas (“green grid”), then using a combined “turquoise grid” concept to define priority intervention sectors where connectivity should be restored.
Works were executed through individual project agreements between Grand Bourg Agglomération and each project leader, with technical support provided through the stakeholder partnership and a follow-up phase embedded in the agreements. Hedges were restored or created and ponds restored or created towards the stated targets of 42 km of hedges and 42 ponds by the end of 2025; by December 2023, 15 km of hedges and 21 ponds had already been restored. Planting and restoration activities were organised directly by project leaders (including farmers) and also through participatory worksites and school workshops, with schools and citizens engaged both as landowners and as participants in hedge-planting activities. The approach explicitly leveraged the ecological functions of hedges (habitat and movement corridors) and ponds (wetland-specific biodiversity), with an intended contribution to water regulation and soil conservation.
Obstacles focused on process and delivery capacity rather than technical measures: there was substantial administrative workload to negotiate and sign the required agreements, and technical feasibility and prioritisation depended on very local assessments. These challenges were addressed by involving experts to define priorities and by using specific NGOs to help convince different types of project owners to participate. Reported success factors included active involvement of elected officials, strong partnerships spanning different expertise, and effective communication built around a clear, time-bound “challenge” format, which also helped strengthen cooperation among stakeholders and create a basis for future biodiversity collaborations.
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