A network for the protection of coastal birds. Life+ ENVOLL

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1 A network for the protection of coastal birds Life+ ENVOLL Networking breeding sites along the French Mediterranean coastline with the aim of protecting gulls, terns and avocets

2 The project The European project Life+ ENVOLL aims to create a network of breeding sites along the French Mediterranean coastline for the protection of colonial Charadriiforms. These native species of bird have generally seen their numbers decline over the past years due to poor successful reproduction rates that fail to maintain populations. At the present time, adequate breeding sites are few and far between. These species nest on the ground, on small islands with little or no vegetation, away from terrestrial predators such as dogs and foxes etc. Breeding sites must also be sheltered from high winds and other disturbance. These species are highly mobile and are pioneers when choosing where to colonise. They can therefore change breeding locations from one year to the next for reasons that are not yet completely understood. Therefore, this group of birds requires a network of suitable breeding sites, along the whole of the Mediterranean coastline, that are adapted to specific reproduction needs. The project also aims to develop a network of interested parties in order to build public awareness of the main issues, to educate in conservation techniques that favour these specific species and to promote their protection in the long term. Life+ ENVOLL seeks to implement demonstrative, sustainable and transferable actions via a dynamic and innovative collective. Life+ ENVOLL connects nine Natura 2000 sites across the three coastal regions of the French Mediterranean. During five years of European Life+ Nature, the project will have regrouped eight associated structures around one central coordinator: the organisation Amis des Marais du Vigueirat. Project details Name: Life+ ENVOLL Lifespan: 5 years (July 2013 June 2018) Total budget: 3, 375, 360 uros Location: The regions Provence-Alpes-Côte d Azur, Languedoc-Roussillon and Corse Coordinator: Amis des Marais du Vigueirat Associated beneficiaries: PNR de la Narbonnaise en Méditerranée, CEN L-R, Réseau école et Nature, Compagnie des Salins du Midi, Thau agglo, Tour du Valat, CD2B, Office de l Environnement de la Corse. Technical and financial organisations: European Union, DREAL Corse, DREAL PACA, DREAL LR, MEDDE, Region LR, Region PACA, CD11, CD13, CD34, PNR Camargue, GPMM, AAMP, SAN Ouest Provence, Fondation Total, Commune de Sigean, Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole, Siel, Lafarge, SIANPOU, ONCFS, EVE, Conservatoire du Littoral, ATEN, Pôle relais lagunes méditerranéennes. Other interested parties: GRAINE PACA, GRAINE LR, CEN Corse, CEN PACA, LPO PACA, LPO Aude, Aude Nature, GOR, Écoute ta planète, CPIE Rhône-Pays d'arles, Labelbleu, LPO Hérault, AREpb,

3 Objectives The conservation along the French Mediterranean coastline of nine native species of seabird Audouin s Gull 2. Pied Avocet 3. Sandwich Tern 4. Little Tern 5. Slender-billed Gull 6. Mediterranean Gull 7. Black-headed Gull 8. Gull-billed Tern 9. Common Tern With a view to the sustainable conservation of these bird populations, the objectives of this project are: 1 to establish coastal sites with the direct aim of improving the successful reproduction of these target species, whilst indirectly improving the attractiveness and conservation status of the nine Natura 2000 sites within the project; 1 to build awareness, of the need to keep the disturbance of these birds to a minimum via coordinated, coherent and collective actions directed at the general public as well as at other various users and decision makers across the nine sites of the territory; 1 to promote the long term management and conservation of these birds through follow-up programmes for managers and awareness schemes for all other parties interested in the coastline; 1 to analyse and diffuse the results obtained within the framework of the project, with the aim of transferring them across to other sites on a regional, national and Euro-Mediterranean scale. 1 to evaluate throughout the project the long term impact of the demonstrative and experimental actions that have been put into place; 3

4 A network of sites, a network of organisations 9 coastal sites suitable for the reproduction of colonial Charadriiforms For a project with such ambitious objectives, nine Natura 2000 coastal sites have been linked up. This inter-site scheme benefits the conservation of these species and allows for the pooling of knowledge and best practices, whilst at the same time bringing a strong coherence to actions carried out in the field. The overall plan of action has been put into place by nine coastal organisations. étangs Palavas et de l'esta étang de Thau et Lido de Sète à Agde 6 organisations for conservational rehabilitation in the field étangs du Narbonnais 1 1 Common goals The establishment of colonial Charadriiform breeding sites, where successful reproduction can be improved by focusing on common issues such as: disturbance by site users and members of the public; lack of breeding islands; competition from the Yellow-legged gull; bad management practice and insufficient hydraulic control. 1 Other concrete actions Construction of small breeding islands; installation of nesting rafts; reinstallation of functioning hydraulics; protection of colonies; management of human disturbance. Project coordination The organisation Amis des Marais du Vigueirat heads the project, managing the finances and the technical coordination. Its members follow and oversee the sum of actions brought to the project via the different organisations. The Conservatoire d espaces naturels du Languedoc- Roussillon coordinates species population surveys and represents the network of interested parties in the Languedoc-Roussillon region. The Office de l Environnement de la Corse coordinates ornithological surveys and public awareness programmes in Corsica. 4

5 LANGUEDOc-ROUSSILLON iens gnol 2 Camargue 3 4 Marais entre Crau et Grand-Rhône Salines de l'étang de Berre étangs entre Istres et Fos PROVENCE-ALPES CÔTE D'AZUR The six beneficiaries responsible for conservation actions PNR de la Narbonnaise en Méditerranée 1 Thau agglo 2 3 CEN L-R 3 Salins du Midi 4 7 Amis des Marais du Vigueirat Département de la Haute Corse 8 9 étang de Biguglia Urbino corse lateral partners 1 The Réseau École et Nature coordinates the various public awareness and environmental education programmes that have been put into place along the whole of the coastline via a regional network of environmental education bodies. 1 The Tour du Valat research centre works towards improving our species knowledge. Through better understanding, better and more efficient conservation strategies can be developed. 5

6 The actions Concrete actions, raising awareness, sharing of knowledge, surveys and studies Site restoration Proven restoration techniques have been applied across all of the project sites in order to render them suitable for breeding colonies of charadriiforms. Nesting islands Many suitable breeding grounds have disappeared in parallel with the installation of coastline defences and coastal development; either lost to erosion or to secondary vegetation. The idea is to recreate or restore these islands on the project s sites, in the most natural way possible. Good management practice is then necessary to maintain their attraction as nesting sites. Rafts When island restoration is considered to be technically impossible, or successful reproduction is put under risk by highly fluctuating water levels, the installation of floating rafts provides an attractive alternative. Rehabilitation of hydraulic systems No development of a breeding site can be considered without a hydraulic function that guarantees the isolation of the site against terrestrial predators and minimises competition from the Yellowlegged Gull. The restoration of canals, embankments and sluice gates is necessary on certain project sites to allow for the efficient management of water levels and fluctuations. Colony protection Where colonial charadriiforms colonise sites that are subject to high levels of disturbance, for example on beaches or where there is a high risk of predation, the protection of the colony may be necessary, at least for the first few weeks before fledging. 6

7 Parallel actions Raising awareness and environmental education: warning the public about the impacts of disturbance by man during the nesting period. For three consecutive years, a public awareness campaign has been put into effect along the whole stretch of the coastline. Co-designed by environmental groups across the three regions and applying adapted educational techniques, the campaign has been aimed towards the general public that frequent the breeding grounds. Schemes to raise awareness among the social and professional groups (partakers in outdoor pursuits, hunters, fisherman...) and other interested parties (environmental protection agents and decision makers...) are executed in parallel to enforce the widest possible consciousness of the issues. Informing about colonial charadriiforms Long term conservation relies on this project leaving all involved parties able to manage independently. Various information tools have been provided, stating the specific needs of each species in terms of techniques, monitoring and conservation tools. These guides and their associated manuals will be widely distributed all along the Mediterranean coast, as well as on a national scale. Communication tools and networking Plans to pool together ideas, knowledge and experiences gained within the framework of the project: development of imaginative and varied communication tools; hosting an exchange forum between sites, as well as on a regional, national and Euro-Mediterranean scale. Improvement of knowledge Understanding better the behaviour of colonial charadriiforms to assure a better long term management plan. The evaluation of actions through species monitoring In order to evaluate the impact of these actions on a population scale, the breeding habits of each species (breeding couples and successful reproduction rates) are closely monitored along the whole of the French Mediterranean coastline. Various associated beneficiaries and ornithological organisations have put together à common protocol according to predefined geographical sections. Regional and interregional coordination allows for the validation of the data which is then redistributed to all managers, partners and interested parties. 7

8 Contact Project coordination Amis des Marais du Vigueirat Chemin de l Etourneau Mas Thibert, France LIFE (L Instrument Financier pour l Environnement) is at the centre of environmental politics within the European Union and promotes programmes and initiatives that favour environment and nature conservation and actions against climate change. Since 1992, more than 4000 projects have been financed. One coordinating project bearer Eight associated structures Financial and technical partners Life+ Envoll Life12 Nat/FR/ graphics: miavilar.fr 50% of the project has been financed by the European Union programme LIFE+ for the environment