Adapto: towards a flexible management of the coastline - Moëze Marsh

Brouage Marsh (Cities of Moëze, Saint Froult, Marennes-Hier-Brouage) – 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.  It is a project financed by the European Union’s Life programme and supported by the Conservatoire du Littoral and the Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières. 

In France, it is deployed in 10 pilot areas, including the Moëze-Brouage marsh site. This marsh, with its rich historical, natural and human heritage, is gradually being overtaken by the sea, while the coastal dyke is being weakened by climatic hazards. In this respect, Adapto’s objective is to study different shoreline management scenarios (maintenance and reinforcement, gradual removal or managed retreat of the current dyke’s location) to contribute to local discussions on the best strategy to adopt. 

The actions carried out are as follows: (1) Historical and prospective analysis of the evolution of the landscape; (2) Diagnosis of agricultural and shellfish farming activities in the area; (3) Modelling of the risk of flooding according to different coastal management scenarios; (4) Mapping of natural habitats and analysis of their possible evolution; (5) Establishment of an ecological quality indicator; (6) Analysis of the social perception of users and residents; (7) Development of decision-making tools (multi-criteria analysis) and consultation on possible development scenarios; (8) Educational activities with schoolchildren, elected officials, users and coastline guards.

Actions

In 2018, a breach opened at the edge of the nature reserve. Since then, the area has been left in free evolution and is subject to regular scientific monitoring of faunistic, floristic variations and sedimentation levels.

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 
  • Raising awareness and developing tools for the department’s rangers

The project is also committed to organising events to report and communicate the results of the project to practitioners, elected officials 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’ experiences.

The Conservatoire du Littoral is carrying out on-site research actions such as historical and prospective analysis of the evolution of the landscapes; diagnosis of the agricultural and shellfish farming activities on the territory; modelling of flood risks according to different shoreline management scenarios; mapping of the natural habitats and their prospective evolution; elaboration of an ecological quality indicator; updated analysis on the social perception of the users; as well as developing decision-making tools (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 qualification of the impact of reconnection projects 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 dependent on these soft environments.

Outcomes

The various studies carried out for the Adapto project have informed local reflections. The challenges of flexible coastal management are now part of territorial approaches in development (Flood Prevention Action Program, Grand Site approach, Regional National Park, etc.). In addition, new land intervention boundaries have been defined accordingly.

  • The site is partly owned by the Conservatoire du Littoral 
  • Only few human and economic activities are at stake on the pilot site 
  • Consistent efforts to maintain relationships, technical-sharing and dynamism among experts and managers carrying out territorial approaches on the site. 

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, LPO, CPIE Marennes-Oléron, ENSP Versailles, State services, municipalities and inter-municipalities, economic stakeholders and inhabitants 

Financial partners: European Union, Region of Nouvelle Aquitaine, Office Français pour la Biodiversité, Fondation de France, Total Foundation

Resources