PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
At some point during their annual lifecycle, many species of aquatic birds use sites scattered along the Atlantic seaboard. These coastal environments, often brackish-water habitats, are notably frequented by species such as the black-winged stilt (Himantopus himantopus), the avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta) and the spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) during migration, wintering or breeding. The most important sites for these birds and associated species have been protected as nature reserves and classified as SPAs. In spite of the conservation actions undertaken, the isolation of these protected sites and their small surface make them vulnerable to external threats. The abandonment of hydrological management in the former salt pans and the development of new activities (tourism, intensive agriculture, infrastructure) around the sites entail various forms of degeneration which lower the quality of these habitats and their capacity to host visiting birds.
OBJECTIVES
The objective of the project was to improve the 'hosting capacity' of four sites along the Atlantic migration route: the Exe estuary (UK), the Golfe du Morbihan and the Marais Poitevin (France) and the Cadiz nature park (Spain). To achieve that, habitat improvement works (lagoons, former salt pans, wet meadows), management of water levels according to the birds' requirements (nesting, foraging) and reinforcement of habitat protection (land purchasing, expansion of the SPAs) had to be carried out. It was also foreseen to provide all sites with a management plan which would pay particular attention to integrating the notion of functional units for the benefit of birdlife. Themes common to all sites were intended to be examined (reception of visitors, integration of local policies, monitoring bird populations, management of site hydrology, integration of agriculture and conservation) to eventually lead to the publication of reference works and to apply the experience gained by this project to other sites along the Atlantic seaboard.
RESULTS
The project focused on 4 pilot sites included in wider natural areas. All technical actions planned have been successfully realised but it appeared that, because they were limited to small sites, they had no real impact on the bird trends on a larger scale. The project could not put an end to the threats still endangering the 4 areas, i.e. the abandonment of the salterns or their reconversion into intensive fishfarms in the Cadix Bay, drainage and road projects in the Marais Poitevin, disturbance due to human activities in the Golfe du Morbihan and the Exe estuary. However, thanks to the project, it has been possible to survey the birds’ population and to test and improve some restoration and management techniques in order to optimise hosting conditions. Moreover, all sites have been provided with a management plan and have been partially restored.
In the Exe estuary in the UK, a lagoon has been restored : the project has created a 1 ha basin in order to supply water to a network of ditches and ponds. A hydraulic pomp has also been installed to supply the tank which redistributes this water. The aims of these installations are to maintain high water levels all year round in the reserve and thus increase the biological value of the marshes by providing additional feeding and rest areas. In the Golfe du Morbihan, the conservation strategy of the SPA has been settled. Based on the inventory and study of the essential role played by 60 coastal marshes (totalling 1400 hectares) for the birdlife, it should become an important planning tool. In this area, the main population of waders is concentrated in the Sené nature reserve, yet out of 410 ha of reserve, only 60 ha were suitable for birds. During the project, 3 abandoned basins totalling 16 ha have been restored, 500 m of dams have been reinforced and 6 sluices have been installed. In the « Champagne les Marais », a site in the Marais Poitevin, most of the actions planned through the management plan had started before the end of the project. One of the objectives was the restoration of a rack independent from a hydraulic spot close to agricultural areas; a new network of ditches has permitted the restoration of winter floods in the meadows without creating disadvantages to extensive stock breeding activities. The LIFE-Nature actions were integrated into a wider programme of restoration of the marshes started years ago by the LPO. In the bay of Cadix, The waterfowl inventory emphasises the international importance of the site for wintering and breeding waterfowls. The abandoned salina of “Tres Amigos y Camposoto”, property of the Spanish state has been restored with the creation of islets, the installation of sluices and the digging of canals. This action should have a demonstrative value useful to initiate other pilot site restoration for birds. As planned, 58 hectares of land have also been bought by the project in the Golfe du Morbihan (8 ha) and the Marais Poitevin (50 ha), both in France. These acquisitions should facilitate the implementation of a better site management and permit restoration works. The project has also organised several seminars focused on different themes of the project:
“Local acceptance of nature conservation project” In the Golfe du Morbihan ; “Monitoring and evaluation protocol of the quality of habitats and species” in Spain. The seminar was the starting point of the elaboration of a methodological guide on waterfowls and coastal dyked marshes that should be published in 2004. “Integration of biodiversity in local development and land use policies” in the UK. The seminar has led to the publication of a guide on the subject. “The agriculture in favour of the biodiversity of the Atlantic marshlands”. Thanks to theses seminars, the partners were easily able to share their information and experiences. A newsletter was also published in English, Spanish and French twice a year during the project.
