Narcissus meadows and agriculture

The first agricultural clearings in the 11th century led to the appearance of meadows. In the region, these were favourable to narcissi, even though they were of no interest to agriculture.

Until the 1950s, farming practices did not allow a narcissus meadow to be dried until the plant's fat, sticky leaves had completely withered. The first mowing would therefore not take place until July, giving the daffodils time to complete their cycle and encouraging their reproduction. Even the periodic addition of manure, which was in short supply at the time, did not harm them. For several centuries, daffodils were part of the landscape. Rising labour costs, mechanisation and falling prices for agricultural products led to an intensification of production methods. Farming concentrated on the most productive plots, leaving the rest to be reforested. This development, together with urbanisation, has led to a decline in semi-natural environments and the gradual loss of daffodil meadows, which cannot withstand early mowing or spring trampling and are often confined to the edges of the landscape.

Today, various projects to promote the quality of the landscape and biodiversity have been initiated by the municipality of Montreux, the Narcisses Riviera Association and the Gruyère Pays-d'Enhaut Regional Nature Park. On a voluntary basis, farmers can commit themselves, for a period of eight years, to using the narcissus meadows extensively, with late mowing or grazing and possibly light manuring.