A story of resilience and local materials: sourcing bio-based materials in Norman wetlands, France
(2021) Environmental Sustainability and Economy — ISBN: [9780128221884], published
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- Abstract
- Resilience is a multifaceted and multi-scaled concept combining individual will, collective actions and territorial perspective. A territorial approach to resilience contributes to closing the gap that separates the theoretical knowledge of resilience from its translation into spatial plans and projects and establishes a conscious and adaptive relationship between a given region and its resources (environment, infrastructure, society, culture and economy). This chapter presents the case study of Marais du Cotentin et du Bessin Natural Park in Normandy (France), which hosts a vast wetland area of international ecological interest. Historically, these wetlands have been used for farming and their vegetation has been incorporated in traditional architecture. Due to changes in both farming practices and architectural features, these lands need constant maintenance to avoid reforestation, protect biodiversity, and maintain the provision of a broad range of ecosystem services. Protection, restoration and maintenance activities reveal new uses for the biomass produced by wetland vegetation. The aim of this study is to understand how a selection of Norman wetland plants could be used for the production of building materials, thereby increasing the value of the local species and ensuring the site’s maintenance. The research revolves around two main workflows. One involves a territorial analysis which identifies territorial resources, agents and dynamics in order to assess the possibility of creating a value chain. The second involves experimental research to provide a first characterisation of the mechanical, physical and hygrothermal properties of the selected wetland plants (purple moor, rush, sedge and reed). The tests performed have revealed that wetland plants have characteristics comparable with other bio-based materials that are used for insulation or in earth-based composites. Among the plants selected, only reed was previously investigated for its suitability as a building material. Our results can provide new insights into the use of wetland plants in the construction sector.
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Scialpi, G. (2021). A story of resilience and local materials: sourcing bio-based materials in Norman wetlands, France. In Pardeep Singh; Pramit Verma; Daniela Perrotti; K.K. Srivastava (ed.) (ed.), Environmental Sustainability and Economy. Elsevier. https://hdl.handle.net/2078.5/228029