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Environment and biodiversity

The Volvic impluvium is located in the unique geographical site of “Chaîne des Puys / Limagne fault”, inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage list since 2018.

Protecting and preserving the natural mineral water resource is at the heart of Volvic’s DNA. It is Volvic’s responsibility to ensure the natural renewal of this water source, anchored in the local heritage and actively maintaining the balance of biodiversity within the area.

A BALANCE TO BE RESPECTED: THE ROLE OF HYDROGEOLOGISTS

In order for the water source to continue to renew itself at the pace of its natural mineral water cycle, Volvic ensures sustainable and responsible management, led by its expert team of hydrogeologists. In the large chain of the natural mineral water cycle, hydrogeologists are a major link in ensuring that the resource is conserved quantitatively and protected qualitatively. Thus, their expertise makes it possible to not take more than what nature offers us.

1. THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE VOLVIC CATCHMENT AREA (CEPIV)

Co-created by Société des Eaux de Volvic in 2006, the environmental committee for the protection of the Volvic impluvium (CEPIV) is a public-private partnership with the 4 local communities of the catchment area. Its mission is to implement actions with all territory stakeholders that reconcile local development and the protection of the catchment area and its biodiversity.

The mission of cepiv focuses on three areas:

  • PRESERVE THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND BIODIVERSITY

  • DEVELOP ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES

  • PROMOTE THE CAREFUL PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT OF VILLAGES, ROADS AND RAILWAYS

I. PRESERVE THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND BIODIVERSITY

Since its creation, the CEPIV has taken concrete actions to preserve these extraordinary resources by establishing partnership with local NGOs that work on preserving the rich biodiversity on the catchment area as well as the waterways.

The volvic catchment area (38km2), which is 60% forests and around 30% agricultural area, hosts unique ecosystems and is an important source of biodiversity that the cepiv aims to preserve in collaboration with the national forest office (onf) and the conservatory of natural spaces of auvergne (cena).

In 2015, in partnership with the auvergne region, Volvic has made 30 hectares of forest available for a regional protected area, the Cheires and Caves, that are part of the auvergne volcanoes regional nature park for a 10-year period. The territory of this regional nature reserve is home to 13 species of bats, and also rare species such as the forest cat, the woodpecker and the spotted salamander. Its contrasting landscapes are popular among residents, associations, as well as visitors and sportsmen from the region and beyond.

In addition, through three longstanding local partnerships, Volvic has being engaged to preserve biodiversity with specialized organizations, such as the conservatory of natural areas of auvergne (CEN auvergne), Beeodiversity and the French league for the Protection of Birds (LPO).

Alcon blue butterfly protection

In 2012, Volvic partnered up with the conservatory of natural areas of Auvergne (CEN Auvergne). Since then, volvic has given an area to measure the presence of the butterfly Phengaris alcon, also known as the Alcon blue or Alcon large blue.

Additionally, on a yearly basis, Volvic organizes the “eco-chantiers” initiative, in which Volvic’s bottling site employees clean the impluvium area to protect the biodiversity, including the butterfly’s protected area to ensure a long-term health of their ecosystem.

Bees and flora biodiversity protection

Since 2016 in partnership with Belgian NGO Beeodiversity, Volvic is tracking the bee’s pollen in order to study the flora biodiversity. Volvic makes 48 samples per year, which allows Beeodiversity to make between 500-800 analysis per year to assess the environmental quality of the fauna and flora of the area. In total, Volvic has installed 12 hives in 6 areas of the catchment area, which has become the settlement of 600,000 bees.

Red kite (Milan Royal) bird protection

In partnership with the French league for the protection of birds (French LPO), volvic supports a program to protect the threatened red kite bird species, by the installation of a feeding station, which is supplied with meat by a Volvic employee to regularly feed red kites. Volvic was awarded by the ministry of the environment with a patronage award for its involvement in the protection of this species.