We were already acquainted. In fact, the arboretum project is led by the association Naturalia et Biologia, of which the Arago Oceanographic Laboratory in Banyuls-sur-Mer is a member. In fact, this laboratory regularly works with Veolia Environnement, particularly on the quality of water for swimming. One of its managers, Professor Philippe Lebaron, discussed this project with me.
There is a very interesting geographic continuity: the oceanographic laboratory offers the visitors a shallow marine trail, where small panels present the submarine coastal fauna. The arboretum will start in the prolongation of this trail and continue along the mountainside.
Philippe Mignard
A Unit Manager in the Veolia Eau Agency in the Pyrénées-Orientales district, Philippe Mignard regularly criss-crosses a magnificent landscape: the Côte Vermeille south of Perpignan as far as the Spanish border.
This natural site, which is splendid but vulnerable, due especially to the lack of water and the hordes of tourists in summer, led him to focus on an arboretum project developed by the association Naturalia et Biologia above Banyuls-sur-Mer.
Philippe Mignard
How did you get in touch with the leaders of this project ?
Why create an arboretum just there ?
That's an interesting story. Above the Arago Laboratory, an old stone house has been used to accommodate researchers from all over the world who come there to study.
In gratitude, they have picked up the habit of providing plants from practically everywhere. The plantation of exotic species just happened this way, very spontaneously.
Why did you decide to accompany this project as a sponsor ?
I'm a Catalan and I love this part of the coast. The project, which will help to improve it significantly, excited me. But over and above this, as a manager of Veolia Eau,
I wondered about the synergy between this project and our mission. I believe that by helping Naturalia et Biologia to upgrade this site, we are all involved in an exemplary educational action: we are demonstrating to the public at large and to elected officials that even in very arid regions, where water is scarce in summer, there is a way to grow magnificent plantations. We have a consultancy role with the population on the use of water: if, thanks to the arboretum, we manage to reduce the number of lawns in our region, in favor of plants that are less greedy for water, I believe that we will all have contributed to the preservation of this so precious resource.
Did the sponsor role create a big problem for you, in view of your work ?
It's a little bit of extra work, that's true, but it's no big deal. I had already sponsored a home meal carrier service many years ago.
At the time, we helped a person to create his job, today, there are two employees ... I'm very concerned about this economic aspect. As a citizen, if we can participate in projects to create jobs, there is no time to lose! The development and inauguration of the arboretum to the public will help immediately create two fulltime jobs, plus a number of temporary jobs during the summer season.
And I have a habit of saying: "Our little drops of water will finally fill large reservoirs!"
