Flood meadows in the Marais Poitevin, France

National Id
France_02
Site name
Sèvre Niortaise et Marais Poitevin
Summary
Located in the regions Pays de la Loire and Poitou-Charentes, the Marais Poitevin is the 2nd largest wetland in France. About 2000 ha of floodmeadows are owned by local municipalities and commonly managed by local farmers. Such meadows play an important role for water regulation: they contribute to the storage of water during flood events, to groundwater recharge, to the removal of pollutants, etc. In the 1980s, in reaction to their destruction, management agreements between municipalities, the Parc Interrégional du Marais Poitevin and environmental NGOs as well as agreements between municipalities and farmers were signed. They reinforce the traditional agri-environmental management (pluri-specific pastures: cattle, horses, gooses) in order to preserve the numerous services provided by the Marais Poitevin.
The in-depth description of the case study
cs-fr-2-final_version.pdf
NUTS Code
Pays de la Loire
RBD code
FRG
Transboundary
0
Data provider
Guillaume Michel, ACTeon
Source(s)
Les Marais Communaux du Marais Poitevin
Recueil d'expériences: les communaux du Marais Poitevin
NWRM(s) implemented in the case study
Meadows and pastures
Floodplain restoration and management
Longitude
-0.8
Latitude
46.3
Climate zone
cool temperate moist
Mean rainfall
867
Mean rainfall unit
mm/year
Type
Case Study Info
Light or indepth?
In-depth
Vegetation class
Mostly naturally flooded meadows.
Application scale
Field Scale
Performance timescale
Immediate
Area (ha)
2000
Area subject to Land use change or Management/Practice change (ha)
2000
Size
2000
Size unit
ha
Public consultation
1
Contractural arrangements
1
Design contractual arrangement
Arrangement type Responsibility Role Comments Name
Since 1989, 18 municipalities have undertaken to maintain common meadows and to respect environmental clauses. In compensation, municipalities receive financial and technical supports.
Aagreement for an agri-environmental management
Since 1993, common floodmeadows are subject to agri-environmental measures (2nd pillar of the CAP)
agri-environment commitment
Design consultation activity
Activity stage Key issues Name Comments
Awareness actions
Awareness actions (for example in the framework of the Life programme) for inhabitants and users.
Design land use change
Land use change type
Design authority
Authority type Role Responsibility Name Comments
Other
Parc Interrégional du Marais Poitevin
The Parc Interrégional du Marais Poitevin (PIMP) is a public organisation bringing together local authorities (85 municipalities, 3 Départements and 2 Régions) of Marais Poitevin. All these authorities are co-signatory of a Territory Agreement which defines strategic guidelines and missions of the Parc. Current areas of activities of the Parc are: natural ressources (agri-environment, protection of biodiversity and ecosystems...), economy and land planing (tourism, architecture, urbanism...), culture and heritage, education.

The PIMP is involved intechnical supports (management of breading and health issues on the common floodmeadows...)
Municipalities
19 Municipalities
Environmental associations (LPO and WWF)
The LPO (Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux) and WWF-France (World Wild Founds - France) are two environmental associations.
They are involved in the support of municipalities (15 €/ha/year of common floodmeadow, that is to say 450 000 € for 15 years)
They also bring technical support to municipalities (for environmental issues such as biodiversity for instance)
LPO, association de Défense de l'Environnement en Vendée, l'Union des Marais Mouillés, Conservatoire des Espaces Naturels Poitou-Charentes, WWF-France
They are public or private organisations (sometimes local) working on environmental issues. They are all involved in the Life programme with the PIMP.
Key lessons
The Marais Poitevin is the 2nd largest wetland in France. About 2000 ha of floodmeadows are owned by local municipalities and commonly managed by local farmers. Such meadows play an important role for water regulation. For instance, they contribute to the storage of water during flood events, to groundwater recharge, to the removal of pollutants, etc. In the 1980s, in reaction to their destruction, management agreements between municipalities, the Parc Interrégional du Marais Poitevin and environmental NGOs as well as agreements between municipalities and farmers were signed. They reinforce the traditional agri-environmental management (pluri-specific pastures: cattle, horses, gooses) in order to preserve the numerous services provided by the Marais Poitevin.
Success factor(s)
Success factor type Success factor role Comments
Other

Sanitary problems at the beginning. Common meadows were seen as responsible for giving pests to cattle.
Financing
Financing type Comments
Private funds
Funds from environmental associations (LPO and WWF): 15 €/year for each hectare of common floodmeadow (450 000 € for the 15 years of the agreement). These supports are for the involved municipalities.
National funds
EU-funds: LIFE+
EU-funds: Rural development funds
Agri-environmental payments for farmers and for the municipalities since 1993 (or 1997 for some of the floodmeadows).
Barrier
Barrier type Barrier role Comments
Other
Close relationship and trust between farmers, municipalities and the PIMP. This is helped by the governance scale (important role of municipalities, direct interaction between municipalities and farmers...).
Driver
Driver type Driver role Comments
Other
Common floodmeadows are used as a pasture for 10 centuries. Pasture by multi-specific herds (cattle, horses, gooses) went on because it is a good way to valorize the produced biomass and to maintain ecosystems and landscapes. Soil structure (micro relief) prevented from using machinery for mowing and ecosystem services (flood protection, water purification, role in water circle...) would have been lost if such areas were used for cropping. They are common land owned by municipalities.
Financing share
Financing share type Share Comments
Part of wider plan
1
Policy target
Target purpose
Increase Water Storage
Groundwater Recharge
Pollutants Removal
Improved Biodiversity
Oher Societal Benefits
Policy pressure
Pressure directive Relevant pressure
Policy area
Policy area type Policy area focus Name Comments
Policy impact
Impact directive Relevant impact
Policy wider plan
Wider plan type Wider plan focus Name Comments
Life Nature
Life Nature Project for "the conservation of the most remarkable habitats and species of Marais Poitevin" for the period 2004-2008.
In the framework of this project, one action on common floodmeadows has been developed (partnership between the PIMP, LPO, WWF and 16 municipalities). The objective of this action was to maintain and develop floodmeadows in order to ensure the hydrological equilibrium of Marais Poitevin, to improve its role of water purification and to preserve biodiversity and landscapes.
Partners supported municipalities (technical and financial supports) for:
- Carrying out management plans in order to plan future development and maintenance projects.
- Ecological maintenance of floodmeadows in order to improve their ability to welcome remarkable species.
- Ecological inventories and scientific monitoring in order to assess the relevance of projects and their benefits for the society.
- Awareness actions for inhabitants and users about floodmeadows, their management and their richness.
Natura 2000
Since 1993
Policy requirement directive
Requirement directive Specification

Partners

Logos of all partners of NWRM project