The Château de Berne was sentenced to nearly 500,000 euros for clearing five hectares of the Plaine des Maures nature reserve in the Var, in 2019.
The domain of the Château de Berne was sentenced this Friday, September 24 afternoon before the court of Draguignan to pay 100,000 euros in fine and 375,700 euros in ecological damage for having cleared five hectares of the Plaine des Maures nature reserve in the Var, in 2019. It altered the habitat of Hermann’s turtles, a protected species, indicates France Blue Provence.
The sum will be allocated to the protection of Hermann’s tortoise. The former manager of the estate is fined 65,000 euros.
The clearing took place in February 2019. At the time, the agents of the nature reserve were alerted by smoke coming from the Clos de Maurin wine estate, which belongs to the Château de Berne. Once there, officers discover a dead turtle and another in poor condition – she will be euthanized.
The enhanced level of protection of this area could not be ignored by those who cleared the land, believes the conservator of the reserve. It is a red sector for the protection of these turtles.
The castle justified itself by explaining that the area had been fallow for a long time and that before, there were vines and therefore agricultural activity.