Biodiver'Cité et Résilience - la restauration écologique au service des habitants

Introduction

The biodiversity loss is particularly important in urban and suburban areas, and Bordeaux Métropole (BM) is no exception.

Background

Following the development of the Biodiver'Cité 2017-2020 strategy, BM wanted to take action by rolling out operations to combat threats to biodiversity, in particular:

• Artificialization of land
• Climate change
• Light and noise pollution
• Intensive agriculture

Project Overview

Five restoration projects will be set up on four sites (6907 ha) focusing on:

1. Agro-ecological exploitation
2. Dike retreat
3. Reduction of light and noise pollution
4. Reversing artificialization of land
5. Renaturing and reopening water networks

These projects will have a positive effect on species and habitats with a poor conservation status at European and French levels, in particular:

• Mustela lutreola
• Coenagrion mercuriale
• Epidalea calamita
• Emys orbicularis
• Euphydryas aurinia
• Lampetra planeri
• Lowland hay meadows (6510)
• Hygrophilous megaphorbs (6430)

Benefits

The projects will also positively impact the living environment and quality of life of residents by:

• Reducing flood risk
• Providing sustainable energy
• Increasing food resilience
• Reducing urban heat islands
• Improving the provision of ecosystem services in the city

An important aspect of the project is to demonstrate the financial benefits of these operations by incorporating the valuation of ecosystem services.

Alignment with LIFE Programme

In view of its impact on habitats and species with an unfavorable conservation status, its consideration of ecosystem services, and its intervention in a variety of environments (urban, agricultural, forestry), the project fits perfectly with the objectives of the LIFE programme and responds to priorities 1 & 2 of the Nature and Biodiversity call for projects.

Methodology

Restoration projects are therefore based on methodologies that combine nature and resilience in order to highlight the value of biodiversity conservation for humans. This is why the project is called LIFE Biodiver'Cité & Résilience, ecological restoration for the benefit of the inhabitants LIFE-BCR.