#ProudOfOurStaff | The Jardin des Plantes, Winner of the 2022 National Vegetable Garden Contest!

, ,

Did you know? The Jardin des Plantes is home to many unique features. Among the most recent is a permaculture vegetable garden. Created two years ago on the initiative of Jean-François “Jeff” Fauveau, a member of our team of botanist-gardeners, this permaculture garden is now the winner of the prestigious national vegetable garden competition, organized by the National Horticultural Society of France ! This is a source of immense pride for our Faculty and the teams at the Jardin des Plantes. At the awards ceremony held on November 30, we met Jeff, who told us about this project.

 

A project born out of post-lockdown reflection

It was in 2020 that the idea of creating a permaculture vegetable garden at the Jardin des Plantes first took root in Jeff’s mind. Intrigued by current events at the time, our gardener had noticed that many people were turning to permaculture as a response to political and economic challenges.

Driven by the Jardin des Plantes’ mission to raise awareness, Jeff hopes that this garden will encourage the people of Montpellier to reconnect with agriculture and take back control of their food. To that end, he is designing his project around plant varieties that are best suited for our balconies, terraces, and gardens in our region’s Mediterranean climate.

 

A permaculture garden: what’s that all about?

When we ask Jean-François to explain what a permaculture garden is, he responds on two levels:

  • The technical aspect: Permaculture stems from practices shared around the world that focus on observing soil chemistry in order to minimize human intervention in the soil and its structure. The goal is to combine specific plant varieties—primarily perennials—to create symbiotic systems, thereby avoiding the use of chemical inputs such as pesticides or fertilizers.
  • The value system: According to Jeff, permaculture is more than just a practice; it is based on a value system aimed at “protecting the earth and people, and sharing the surplus.”

 

All in all, a permaculture garden is a garden designed with sustainability in mind, based on careful observation of biological ecosystems. Cultivated with respect for nature, the seasons, and people, it allows plants to be grown without the use of chemicals.

 

The permaculture garden at the Jardin des Plantes: a place of plant diversity, open to the public

Launched in 2020, the permaculture garden can be seen in Plot No. 4 of the School of Systematics at the Jardin des Plantes. Covering an area of nearly 200 m², the garden features more than 250 species of plants, all of which are edible. Among the species grown, Jeff tries to balance so-called “classic” plants with more “unique” ones. You’ll find tomatoes, eggplants, cucumbers, apples, grapes, and corn, as well as Daubenton cabbage, Rocambolle garlic, stevia, peanuts, and bissap. Edible flowers are also on hand to delight the taste buds of even the most discerning gourmets.

This permaculture garden is tended by Jeff, who also works to introduce it to the people of Montpellier through guided tours between March and November. Jeff takes this opportunity to offer advice on permaculture and share the fruits of his labor by giving visitors some fruits and vegetables to taste when the season allows!

 

An original project, winner of the 2022 National Vegetable Garden Contest

All of this variety and these educational initiatives have undoubtedly helped make this project one of the winners of the national vegetable garden contest!

After submitting an entry in June in Category 4, “Educational Garden or Plot,” the teams at the Jardin des Plantes hosted the competition judges in September for a two-hour visit, during which the judges asked our gardener a variety of technical questions.

A few weeks later, Jeff was delighted to learn that his garden had been selected as one of the 60 gardens in the competition to receive the Grand Prize for the best educational vegetable garden in France! 

Jean-François and Emmanuel Spicq, head gardener at the Jardin des Plantes, received the award during a ceremony held on November 30, 2022, in Paris. A source of great pride for Jeff:

“This is a wonderful surprise. I’m very happy—this project and this competition allow us to step outside our usual scope. It gives us the opportunity to connect with other national institutions and reach out to the wider world. I look forward to exchanging ideas with the other participants and winners to take this project to new horizons!”

PreviousNext
12345678

SHNF Press Kit
 

 

 

More to Come on the Garden's Projects

In addition to putting our garden in the spotlight, this contest is indeed an opportunity to develop new relationships—whether for collaboration or partnership—with other gardeners, gardens, and/or institutions and organizations.

“I hope to gain new insights from these discussions that will help me apply permaculture practices to other projects. After the vegetable garden, I’d like to work with other fellow gardeners at the Jardin des Plantes to explore the possibility of creating a new permaculture plot focused on drought-tolerant plants!” Jeff tells us enthusiastically.

The plot, which has already been identified, will be located on the Dunal Dellile hill, another parcel belonging to the School of Systematics. We therefore wish our teams at the Garden the best of luck with this new project, which may provide an opportunity to enter this competition in a different category!

 

Practical Information:
/by

INTERVIEW | Read our profile of Nadine Houédé, the future Vice Dean of Finance!

, ,

Every five years, a new dean’s office team—composed of associate deans and program coordinators—is appointed by the dean to represent the dean in carrying out specific tasks. This year, Prof. Nadine Houede was appointed Associate Dean for Finance. She will soon succeed Associate Dean Messner in this role. Read her interview here: learn about her background and the projects she hopes to implement as part of her role!

You were appointed by the Dean, Ms. Isabelle Laffont. Could you tell us about your background and your area of expertise?

With two doctorates—one in medicine and one in biostatistics—I had the opportunity to spend two years in Canada toward the end of my studies, which allowed me to gain solid experience in urological oncology and develop a research mindset. I began my career as an oncologist at the Bordeaux Cancer Center, where I served as head of the urological oncology department and the early-phase clinical trials unit, and as an active member of French and American medical societies specializing in oncology.

Currently a department head at the Nîmes University Hospital and deputy head of the division, I lead numerous research programs at an INSERM unit in Montpellier and advocate for the rapid translation of research advances into patient care.

 

How do you plan to balance your duties as associate dean with your other professional responsibilities?

I am fortunate to be supported by a young and dynamic team in oncology. I hold two positions associated with my academic status: Director of the Cancéropole Grand Sud-Ouest, working closely with cancer research teams, and now Vice Dean for Finance, supporting faculty and student projects.

 

What will your contributions and goals be? What projects do you hope to carry out in your role?

Since the Dean has placed her trust in me with this appointment, I wish to assist her to the best of my ability with the administrative responsibilities entrusted to me, both in relation to her specific initiatives regarding DI and DIU and in connection with the university. I will work to maintain a balanced budget in order to provide students and faculty with the best possible learning environment.

 

What motivated you to accept this appointment?

While I should point out that working with numbers comes naturally to me, two factors motivated me to accept this position: first, my gratitude to the faculty that appointed me as a professor in 2015 and my desire to give back by dedicating all my resources to furthering its work; and second, the supportive mentorship of my predecessor, Professor Patrick Messner.

/by

#ViedeCampus | How the ALIVE Call for Proposals Enables the Construction of a Secure Bike Shelter

,

The DVC (Campus Life Office) regularly issues calls for projects called “ALIVE” to improve student life on the University of Montpellier campuses. These projects, developed in collaboration with students from each campus, give rise to original initiatives that are funded by the CVEC. In 2020, the Faculty responded to the call, leading to the creation of a secure bike shelter on the Arnaud de Villeneuve campus.

What are we talking about?

Alive consists of calls for proposals issued each year by the DVC (Campus Life Office) with clearly defined requirements:

“As part of the rollout of the CVEC*, the University of Montpellier has decided to launch the ALIVE call for projects—“Improving Student Living Spaces”—aimed at academic departments, schools, and institutes. The call for projects is aimed at creating or renovating spaces dedicated to student life on UM campuses, outside of academic facilities.”

The objectives of these calls for proposals are therefore to:

  • Promote a welcoming environment and enhance student life
  • Promote a better sense of community among students.

 

The 2020–2021 Project: A Secure Bike Shelter for the ADV Campus

In 2020, the School of Medicine, in collaboration with the then-Vice Dean for Student Affairs, Florian Mary, decided to consult with fellow students and respond to the ALIVE call for proposals. This consultation revealed a need for a secure bike shelter. Construction began in January 2022 and was completed at the start of this academic year.

The bike shelter is now operational, with card-based access for 150 students on the ADV Campus. These students voluntarily registered in September in response to an email announcement from the faculty administration. In January 2023, the number of access permits will be increased if it is determined that the shelter is underutilized.

This bike shelter is a real benefit for our students, who can combine efficiency with environmental friendliness by choosing to bike to school. The shelter’s security features help significantly reduce theft!

 

* Law No. 2018-166 on Student Guidance and Success, dated March 8, 2018—known as the ORE Law—established a student life and campus contribution (CVEC), which, according to Article L. 841-5.-I of the Education Code, to “promote the reception and social, health, cultural, and athletic support of students and to strengthen preventive and health education initiatives carried out for their benefit.”

/by

#ProudOfOurStudents | The Med’Trotters are back from Togo!

, , ,

In July, through the ACM’s exchange program, 13 students had the opportunity to travel to Togo as part of a solidarity project for an organization working to renovate a school. A presentation evening for the International Solidarity Project was organized, featuring a film screening! Here’s a look back at the experience.

How was your trip?

The trip went wonderfully well. We were obviously very anxious because, although the project had been planned three years ago, it had never come to fruition due to the health crisis. So we were the first to go, but the trip went smoothly—whether in terms of the preliminary planning (fundraising, grants, raffles…), safety, our relationships with the Togolese volunteers and the children, or the construction site itself… Our arrival was also well organized by our local partner organization, Espace Hotsi, which accompanied us from the moment we arrived at the airport until our departure, handling accommodations, meals, and transportation…

What were your responsibilities?

Our main mission was to help renovate four kindergarten and elementary school classrooms, as well as the latrines. Our support was primarily financial, as we covered the costs of materials and volunteers (approximately 3,800 euros). We also provided hands-on assistance by contributing additional labor to the construction site.
In the afternoons, we organized games and workshops with the village children who volunteered (painting, dodgeball, etc.). We also attended the school’s end-of-year ceremony, where academic results were announced. We took this opportunity to provide the students with the school supplies they’ll need for the start of the 2022 school year, thereby ensuring equal opportunities, since not all children can afford to pay for the required supplies.

What have you put in place?

The project involved renovating the staircases (masonry), the roof, the gutters, and painting (we sanded and then repainted the exterior and interior walls).

Have you encountered any complications you didn't expect?

We can’t say we ran into any real complications. We had prepared ourselves to be put off by the different hygiene practices, but we actually adapted fairly quickly (adaptation happens fast when we have no choice). So, what surprised us most at first was how independent the children were, even from a very young age (sometimes a 5-year-old would carry and take care of their 1-year-old sibling). We also noticed cultural differences regarding romantic relationships and how they’re conceptualized. Aside from the culture shock that’s inherent in this kind of experience, we didn’t really face any major complications; it’s simply a matter of adapting to every aspect of life in a country where the way of life is the opposite of what we’re used to in Europe.

Before your trip, you reached out to Médecin du Monde. How did you go about raising awareness?

In fact, we had initial contact with Médecin du Monde, who were very eager to support us on this adventure; unfortunately, after several follow-ups, we didn’t hear back from them. So we had prepared some awareness-raising sessions, but once we were there, putting them into practice turned out to be much more difficult than we had anticipated. First of all, because not all the children speak French well, depending on their age (they learn French in school since it’s the country’s official language). And above all, they just wanted to play with us and do physical activities. The diversity of the group therefore prevented us from carrying out our awareness-raising activities as we had hoped. This aspect of the mission is therefore an area for improvement for next year.

How did the experience affect you?

That’s a pretty tough question. I think it took each of us some time after we got back to “process” everything we’d been through. We don’t claim that this trip completely transformed us or that we’re now entirely different people. But this experience certainly left its mark and taught us a great deal on a human level. It’s sometimes good to get a “wake-up call,” and we can say that what we experienced was a veritable cultural, social, and human whirlwind. Now that we’re back, we’re still ourselves—medical students at the Montpellier-Nîmes Faculty, caught up in the grind of our daily routine—but not a day goes by without me thinking back on that trip to Togo. I don’t know if this experience will make me a better person or improve my practice as a future doctor, but it has given me something—that much is certain.

What is your assessment of the situation?

I am pleased to say that the outcome of this mission has been extremely positive. Of course, there is room for improvement in terms of planning the trip in advance, managing funds on site (difficulty withdrawing money), and preparing and adapting our outreach activities. But the very fact that we carried out the mission successfully is an achievement in itself. Furthermore, we are certain of the value of our work, as we are in contact with Étienne, the school principal, who regularly sends us videos of the children attending classes in their newly renovated building. This project is therefore clearly worth repeating, while doing our best to iron out the minor hiccups from this year.

Do you have any new projects?

The new Vice Presidents in charge of Exchange Programs at the Association Carabine Montpelliéraine recently presented this year’s new project to medical students, which involves returning to Togo with the Espace HOTSI association. Indeed, we are convinced that continuing this mission is essential for another year. The project’s format will therefore remain the same (renovation projects, construction, academic support, etc.), though the specifics are still to be determined with the new Med’Trotters team, which will be selected soon.

Check out the Med’Trotters’ adventure in this video!

/by