Nature in the city

In order to apply the right treatments to plants, Paris La Défense uses the principle of differentiated management. What's in it for you? To avoid intensive maintenance and to favour a range of adapted treatments: manual weeding, reduction of artificial watering in favour of rainwater recovery... In addition, in order to better understand these spaces, the characteristics of the soil and the slab, Paris La Défense has begun a major data collection project.

Watering differently depending on the green spaces... and the weather!

Responsible for the maintenance of the district's green spaces, Paris La Défense is working to rationalize water consumption by integrating the constraints of a rather Mediterranean climate on a slab several meters above the ground. The first principle is to reduce water requirements upstream and then water in a personalized manner according to the type of vegetation.

For green spaces, the intensity of use, the depth of the soil and the size of the surface are taken into account. The weather station contributes greatly to this reasoned management of water because it makes it possible to adjust the quantities poured according to the expected level of rain. If the rainfall is sufficient, the station cuts off the watering. Drip systems are also deployed at several strategic points. Particularly suited to shrubs, they can reduce water consumption by 50%.

Good overall maintenance is also essential in this daily water management. Thus, four Paris La Défense agents check in particular the waterproofing, the masonry, the state of the paving and the cleanliness of the public space. The control also includes good management of water sensors to avoid leaks.

The result of all these efforts is a reduction in consumption from 113,000 m3 in 2020 to 46,600 m3 in 2021. However, these good results must be tempered by the fact that the summer of 2021 was relatively rainy. Instead of two months, watering was limited to three weeks.

A rewarded approach

The EcoJardin label, which rewards and attests to the ecological management of green spaces, was obtained in 2022 for 10 more gardens! After the Jardin des Reflets in 2020, the public institution has obtained this label for 10 other sites in the area: Majunga garden, Jardin de l'Arche, Place de l'Iris, Parc Diderot, Square de la Dame Blanche, Boieldieu terraces, Boieldieu shared gardens, Square Regnault - rue Regnault and Oxygen complex.

Did you know?

• The choice of local plantings reduces water consumption for watering.
• Rainwater is collected and reused for watering plantings. It is also drained towards the planted areas.
• The crushed bricks from the work on Circular Boulevard can be recycled and used as plant substrate.