LIFE BARGE

Title: Preservation, restoration and valuation of coastal habitats of european interest of the Aiguillon Bay

Summary: The protection and conservation of coastal habitats is a major issue across Europe. The Marais Poitevin was formed as a result of the filling of Picton's gulf with sediments from the ocean. The marsh is the meeting point of the marine environment, the inner wetland and the migration routes, which explains the extraordinary biodiversity it hosts.

Over the centuries, human activities have contributed to the diversification of habitats. However, the modernisation of agricultural practices together with coastal urbanisation has gradually increased pressure on the natural environment. In addition, recent climatic events (such as the storms Martin in 1999 and Xynthia in 2010) have underlined the impact of the ocean on Marais Poitevin. Such phenomena and the prospect of global warming mean that the territory must adapt its protection strategy to the whims of the sea. Public authorities, however, are now realising the important role that coastal habitats can play in providing protection against such impacts.

The LIFE Barge project will adopt an integrated approach to strengthen the intrinsic natural value of Aiguillon Bay while valuing the coastal habitats as an efficient ways of protecting the territory. Specifically, the project aims to:

• Restore the disturbed Aiguillon Bay and Aiguillon Pointe habitats and limit the negative effects of mass tourism;
• Strengthen the role of coastal habitats to offer passive resistance to sea floods;
• Understand the interactions between the wetland of the Marais Poitevin and the Aiguillon Bay in order to inform the management strategies;
• Promote the richness of these ecosystems, and explain their functioning and role.

Expected results:

• Restoration of 100 acres of mudflat habitat and a prospective analysis of the geomorphological evolution of the Aiguillon Bay;
• Creation of 10 acres of salt marsh in the Pree Mizottière site to form nesting habitats for birds;
• Restoration of 800 metres of dune habitats of the Aiguillon Pointe site, including the provision of public access and dune protection (2 500 m protected);
• Analysis of the effects of water quality on the primary production in the bay and its relationship with species distribution, as well as a study of duck behaviour (capture and assessment of 50 anatidae species, analysis of 1 512 soil samples and 100 duck digestive samples);
• Public awareness and dissemination of results of the programme

For more information, please visit EurOcean Knowledge Gate.