Adapto: towards a flexible management of the coastline - Rice Fields of Mana

Mana, French Guiana – France

Project leader: Conservatoire du Littoral

Dates : 2017-2022

Classification

Risks

Solutions

Actors

Costs

Summary

The Adapto project seeks to demonstrate by example the value of flexible management of the coastline as a solution for adapting coastal territories to climate change. This project is being financed by the European Programme Life, and carried out by the Conservatoire du Littoral and the Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières. 

In France, this project is being deployed in 10 pilot sites, including the Rice fields of Mana in French Guiana. Since the 2000s, the Mana site has been experiencing severe erosion (150 metres per year on average), in addition to several difficulties that precipitated the end of rice development projects in 2010. Since then, this agricultural abandonment has led to a drying up of the environment, a loss of wetland habitats and a drastic reduction in shorebird populations. Since 2018, the Conservatoire du Littoral has been developing land management action to protect this area and conserve its unique value by promoting diversified agricultural use, opening it up to the public and developing ecotourism based on bird watching activities. Adapto’s objective for this site is to draw on the knowledge and experience gained over the past decade and to continue to reflect on the long-term evolution of the site, taking into account the impacts of climate change.

To that end, the actions carried out on this site are as follows: (1) A study on the projection of the coastline to 2050; (2) Work aimed at optimising the hydraulic functioning and the reception of biodiversity; (3) Exchange of experiences with other sites and capitalisation on the approach taken; (4) Educational actions with schoolchildren, elected officials, users and coast guards; (5) A historical and prospective analysis of the evolution of the landscapes; (6) The establishment of an ecological quality indicator; (7) An analysis of the social perception of users and residents; (8) The development of decision-making tools (economic and multi-criteria analyses) and consultation on possible development scenarios.

Actions

The Conservatoire has been in charge of this territory since 2018 (currently 2300 ha). Building on coastal projections by 2030 and 2050 (BRGM study), it has developed a site project with its partners. 

The project consists of restoring several canals in the hydraulic network, developing livestock activities, opening up the habitat and meeting conservation goals. The benefits of livestock farming are also to allow the moving of the herds in the event of hazards. In addition, sober ecotourism projects will be developed there.

The Conservatoire du Littoral is undertaking work to optimise the hydraulic functioning and the reception of biodiversity. Hydraulic structures breaking through and weakening the channel (naturally protective fossil sandy barrier) will be removed to renaturalise it.

As part of the Adapto project, the Conservatoire du Littoral is deploying a series of educational actions:

  • Development and deployment of an educational programme for primary and secondary school classes 
  • Creation of an exhibition (kakemonos format) on the past and future evolution of the site

The project is also committed to organising events for the restitution and communication of the project’s results to practitioners, elected representatives and the general public at the local and regional levels. 

It also participates in national actions to capitalise on and put into perspective the other Adapto sites.

The Conservatoire du Littoral is carrying out on-site research actions such as historical and prospective analysis of the evolution of the landscapes; updated analysis of the social perception of the users; as well as developing decision-making tools (economic and multi-criteria analyses) around possible long-term evolution scenarios.

It is also working on the implementation of an ecological quality indicator. This research project, carried out in partnership with the National Museum of Natural History as part of the Adapto project, aims to develop an ecological quality indicator tailored for natural coastal environments. This indicator should allow the description of the reconnection impacts on the ecological quality of natural coastal areas and the monitoring of their evolution. It is pivotal for the Conservatoire du Littoral and its managers that intend to improve the environmental quality of the coast. It also entails the provision of answers to the concerns expressed by various environmental stakeholders about the potential negative impacts of marine reconnection on species relying on these ‘soft’ environments.

Outcomes

Work on this site is under completion, so it is too early to draw conclusions on the benefits of the project from a technical point of view. 

To this date, the main success is that the initiative has led local actors and elected representatives to understand these problems and to take them into account in the development of their territory. It has initiated a dialogue between the actors on the solutions to be implemented and invited them to have a long-term vision of their territory.

The Conservatoire owns more than half of the site, which means that along with managers, they can provide long-term support. 

Consultation with local stakeholders is essential for the smooth running of the project.

Importance of popularising and widely disseminating the results of the monitoring carried out on the site to local stakeholders, in order to strengthen the social acceptability of management policies.

Partners

Technical partners : Conservatoire du Littoral, Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Association de Découverte de la Nature de Guyane, ENSP Versailles, State services, municipalities and inter-municipalities, economic and local actors

Financial partners : European Union, Water Agency of Guyane, French Biodiversity Office, Fondation de France, Total Foundation

Resources