Making local development and Nature conservation meetThe Morlaix Bay’s natural environment is very rich by it’s diverse maritime components (nesting sea birds, wintering and migrating water birds, marine mammals...) and it’s numerous human activities : oyster farming, professional fishing, sailing, water sports... This program aims to accommodate the territory’s development with it’s rich biodiversity elements. Collecting Nature data and developing ecological awareness tools for the local population are its’ main actions.

Improving biodiversity in Morlaix Bay

Monthly shore birds countingEach month, volunteers and professionals get together to count water bird along the Morlaix bay SPA (Special Protection Areas).

Grey seals resting sites watchA precise path has been drawn to make it possible to observe the evolution of the Morlaix Bay’s seal population. Each individual animals is photo-identified in order to see how they commute to and fro other sites in Brittany.

Human surveysIn order to better understand how people living in and around the Bay perceive their natural environment, a social survey is underway.

Public awareness programMany action are underway to reach local populations : remote monitoring of the reserve, creation of a iconographical library, exhibitions, environment discovery tours...

Regional benefits of the project Nesting sea birds and wintering water birds have been monitored for a long time. This program thus enables a monthly monitoring on all water birds present in the SPA which eases the Natura 2000 procedure to be fulfilled.The grey seals’ resting sites have been identified and can therefore be protected from human disturbance.A group of volunteers able to identify and count birds has been created and works with the NGO’s professional members, local communities and State administrations.Many partnerships have emerged from this program with scientists specialized in marine mammals, water, sea or shore birds or in conservation issues.The public awareness actions are led for different types of people as professionals in tourism in particular.This program will enable to realize nature conservation actions while taking into account human activities in the Morlaix bay. One of the options is the creation of a Natural reserve making it possible for the Morlaix bay to manage it’s great biodiversity with creative and efficient tools.

Photo Crédits : Hervé RONNE & Bretagne Vivante

Fact box • LEADER-region: Pays de Morlaix (Brittany region – France)• Project management : Bretagne Vivante• Total cost: 63 800€• LEADER-funding: 20 800€ (33%)• Project duration: 3 years• Contact details: leader@paysdemorlaix.com -

yann.jacob@bretagne-vivante.org

International "Biodiversity & LEADER" conference, April the 3rd, Vienna