Des zones humides pas si sauvages que cela : apport des données historiques et paléo-environnementales à la réflexion sur la gestion des paysages de la chaîne des Puys (France)

The Chaîne des Puys presents a large number of wetlands or former wetlands (maar, volcanic lakes or dams) whose current aspect gives them a “wild” appearance. Actually, for many of them, their landscape reflects the geomorphological history as well as the history of the local communities. This double aspect, both natural and cultural, makes these sites as a good model for conceiving a management plan that conciliate the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) based on aesthetical and geological criteria with the local ecological and cultural value that come from a succession of transformations or abandonments during the time. While the local authorities work on the application for an inscription of the Chaîne des Puys Limagne Fault on the UNESCO World Heritage list, this paper shows that by reconstructing precisely the history of these sites, it can help local managers to think about their management policy differently, focusing not on a strict conservation or protection dimension, but taking into account this historical frame in order to conciliate the expectations of the UNESCO with the local social demands.