Environment

Alta Lumina – reconciling human activity, wonder and the preservation of nature.

At the heart of the Chablais Geopark, Alta Lumina is an immersive experience that allows visitors to discover the beauty of a natural site, to increase their desire for the outdoors, and to combine human presence with the wonder of unspoilt nature.

The Alta Lumina trail was created in a carefully thought-out way, in order to create a trail that was adapted to an existing natural environment. By intervening as little as possible in the balance of this space, by adapting our sound and visual projections to the various seasons and environmental constraints.

The Alta Lumina project has been designed to encourage reconnection with nature, in an area outside built-up areas. All our equipment installation methods were based on professional recommendations to protect the long-term health of the forest. The multimedia devices have been harmoniously integrated to preserve the environment and have as little impact as possible on flora and fauna. In doing so, we have complied with current standards on the prevention, reduction and limitation of light and noise pollution (article 2-3-4 of the decree of 27 December 2018).

The Alta Lumina forest is a spruce stand in which we can observe the presence of mountain ash (sorbus aucuparia) and white fir (Albies alba), a mix that is very favourable to biodiversity. This attracts a diverse range of birds, providing a variety of habitats for wildlife. Historically, this site was a beech-fir forest planted in the 1970s. The fact that the site is fenced off and private during the day means that the forest regenerates more quickly.

A dense forest rich in biodiversity.

Alta Lumina is a protected area that is private during the day, making the forest a refuge for certain animal species. Here are just a few of them:

• The red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) – a forest species that is often an indicator of the health of forest ecosystems, as it depends on mature forests for feeding and nesting. The presence of numerous refugia (areas where it consumes its food) suggests that the species is very active in the forest. Recently, a nest was found outside the study area, which could indicate that the species is using a larger area for its needs, which could be due to local modifications or to a need for more diversified food resources. It is a species that does not shy away from humans. We are therefore conserving old woodland to enable it to remain in a more sustainable way.
• Numerous forest birds – the black woodpecker and the spotted woodpecker being indicator species of the maturity of the forest in the area. The black woodpecker is often associated with old-growth forests, while the great spotted woodpecker is more generalist. Great crested tits, great crested kinglet and triple-banded kinglet have been recorded, their presence indicating a healthy habitat, diversified in plant strata and rich in insects, which constitute their food. There is also a rock species, the black redstart, which nested this summer in the public reception chalet (2024).
• Protected species such as the alpine newt (national and regional protection) – the common toad and the red-legged frog (national protection).

Our staff are trained to recognise these protected species so that they can survive and live together harmoniously.

During our so-called shoulder seasons, we experience a drop in visitor numbers on our evenings. This gives the fauna and flora long periods of preservation and occupation of the forest, in keeping with their needs. It’s also the birthing season, which means that the females and their young can enjoy considerable peace and quiet. The impact of our noise and visual infrastructure is felt during our opening evenings, but it also allows us to be in a protected forest area where many animals have found refuge. An area in which they are not hunted and with which we live together, respecting their needs as much as possible. As a result, the animals have little impact from our infrastructure and this allows them to take over a forest area that is becoming increasingly rare in the mid-mountain areas of ski resorts.

What we do.

• respect for wetlands by avoiding sensitive natural areas
• Wooden footbridges to protect areas from trampling: a path is marked out and demarcated, reducing the area of human presence in the forest during our night-time sessions. Any trampling, shaking or disturbance remains confined to very small areas, and thus represents a small part of the total surface area of the Lumina forest. This also allows us to reduce the impact on the roots of our trees and on the various burrows of the species present. We use wood shavings to improve the condition of the soil and limit the impact of trampling on the walking areas.
• We conserve dead wood in order to create protected habitats for species associated with dead wood (insects, woodpeckers, fungi, etc.). Wood contains many chemical elements necessary for life: potassium, iron, manganese, phosphorus, nitrogen, etc. We decided to leave the wood in the ground to allow the nutrients to be released gradually, so that they could be reabsorbed by living plants and recycled effectively. We have been made aware of the fact that wood lives, even when it is ‘dead wood’, and that it therefore constitutes a reservoir of nutrients that maintains the fertility of our forest soil.
• We favour cutting at the stump
• Trunks are left in place and slash is left in piles. If a dead trunk does not disturb the show or the safety of visitors, it is left standing.
• We recycle the wood from the former accrobranche farm to make platforms for our spotlights, barriers, footbridges and more.
• relocation of cables to prevent injury during tree growth
• wire netting 30cm above the ground to leave a clear path for small amphibians

Our direct interventions on the flora and fauna of the Lumina forest are kept to a minimum, with the main aim of protecting and preserving this area. For example:

• we do not use any pesticides/insecticides
• we do not use any traps
• we do not consider the animals present in the park as pests but as inhabitants of this space that we try to protect as well as possible.
• no hunting or intensive slaughtering is practised
• anthills are left as they are
• Weed control is extremely limited and concentrated on the only path used by our visitors.

Let’s work together – upcoming projects.

• create a composting area
• continuing our local partnership with Biocyclette to sort our bio-waste at source
• building an insect shelter
• raise public awareness by installing nesting boxes and feeders.
• design a forest plantation along the fence (on the lake side of the schools): these plantations can strengthen ecological connectivity and provide corridors for wildlife.
• stick to our dematerialised tickets to avoid unnecessary printing

Do you have any ideas you’d like to share with us about how we can continue to preserve this area? An idea box has been set up: it’s as simple as contacting us at info@altalumina.com with your suggestions!

To conclude.

Alta Lumina today represents a rich and diverse forest ecosystem, home to sensitive species that are emblematic of European forests. Maintaining the diversity of tree species and managing cavities and dead wood are essential to ensure the long-term survival of this ecosystem. None of our decisions are taken without the active involvement of those with the necessary expertise. We rely on their assessments and advice to maintain the balance between humans and wildlife. We would like to thank all the professionals with whom we work to keep this project alive: Avis Vert – Agrestis – Marc Cossin – our local pruners.