Actions

Before starting the restoration work, it is essential to know the environment in which it will take place: the type of species and number of individuals present on the territory and also how the different environments function (moorland and peatland).

Why?

This will allow the project team to adapt the various restoration works and measure their impact on the territory based on the data collected. To be more specific, if all goes well, at the end of the 5 years there should be an increase in the size of the moorland and peatland considered to be in a "good state of conservation" as well as populations of Hen Harrier and European Nightjar.

How does it look ?

FOR FAUNA AND FLORA

The different species on the territory are identified by inventories carried out at the start of the LIFE Avaloirs Project on specific groups: insects and spiders, reptiles and amphibians, small mammals, birds, game and flora.

In order to know the precise number of individuals present on the territory, particular attention is paid to the Hen Harrier and the European Nightjar, the two emblematic species of the project.

FOR THE ENVIRONMENTS

In order for restoration actions to be as effective as possible, it is essential to understand how the environments (moorland and peatland) function.

Areas studied:

• The moorland soil - to understand why some are wooded faster or why some are invaded by the Eagle Fern
• The hydrological functioning of peatland
• The state of conservation and functionality (i.e. whether the species evolve properly)
• The forage value of the moorland: as grazing is one of the ways of managing the moorland, the possibility of putting animals on it will be studied by first ensuring that the environment is suitable

A journey through the past…

In order to understand the landscapes of today, a specific study will provide a better understanding of the historical uses of the sites. Indeed, certain practices or events may explain why the moorland and peatland are in their current condition today. This study will use testimonies from stakeholders in the territory and also data from departmental archives.

... for better management of today

The current uses must also be taken into account in the management of this project. This is why the various stakeholders on the territory (owners, associations, hunters, etc.) are identified in order to work together, taking into account each person's critical issues.

As with any project, before starting work, it is necessary to develop an action plan for the entire duration of the LIFE Avaloirs Project. This common thread will make it possible to:

• Organise the various interventions at a time which best suits the species and the environments.
• Anticipate the various issues, particularly on a practical level: allowing worker and machines to be able to circulate in the work areas.

On LIFE Avaloirs Project territory, some plots of moorland and peatland are on private land. In order to sustain the conservation of the most vulnerable sites over time, the purchase of plots by a public structure constitutes a guarantee of security.

What happens in this case?

In certain situations, some owners do not wish to manage their plots and prefer to sell them. In this case, the public purchase of the plots facilitates the implementation of actions by the LIFE Avaloirs Project team and will allow actions to continue in favour of biodiversity post-project. These sales are systematically carried out in a concerted manner.

Who buys these plots?

As part of its ESA (Environmentally Sensitive Areas) policy, the Mayenne department will acquire these private plots during the LIFE Avaloirs Project. In order to define the priority level of acquisition, a land development plan has been put in place on the perimeter of the project in collaboration with the Normandie-Maine Regional Nature Park.

Moorland and peatland are the two types of environment to be safeguarded within the framework of the LIFE Avaloirs Project. Restoration actions are focused on them with several types of work possible, depending on the envisaged threat.

For the moorland (and the associated scree)

• A removal of trees to prevent the disappearance of the moorland, if and when it no longer has enough light to self-maintain.
• Management of vegetation and leaf-litter under the trees in order to establish favourable conditions for the germination of heather.
• Management of the Eagle Fern and the Purple Moor-Grass, which suffocate the native moorland species.

For peatland

• The uprooting of trees and shrubs which have a detrimental effect on the aquatic functioning of the peatland.
• A restorative mowing to limit the colonisation of the Purple Moor-Grass.
• A superficial stripping of the top layer of soil on ​​degraded areas to facilitate the return of typical peatland plants.

The Hen Harrier is a raptor that requires specific actions due to the complexity of its behaviour:

• It forms winter roosts and nests directly on the ground in summer. To protect their tranquillity, it is important to guide the public on specific routes, which may mean closing some paths.
• It hunts in meadows near to its breeding site. To halt the over-development of vegetation, certain meadows will be restored by clearing or mowing.

For the LIFE Avaloirs Project to realise its full potential, it is essential that the public (population in the broad sense) own it and become its ambassador.

Several actions are implemented accordingly:

• The creation of a visual identity, a veritable showcase for the LIFE Avaloirs Project.
• Putting the spotlight on the Hen Harrier with the creation of a "mascot" available via several media.
• The development of this website, which brings together all the information and news about the project.
• The emailing of the "L’Oeil du LIFE" newsletter (The Eye of LIFE), allowing interested parties to receive the latest project news.
• A presentation film that unveils the project from a different angle and allows us to understand the extent and richness of this territory.
• Annual activities presenting the project in a fun way, directly on the territory with direct participation by the public through workshops.

Many stakeholders and users are associated with the LIFE Avaloirs Project. It is important to educate them to assimilate the issues of such a project and to pass on this understanding to those around them.

Several actors fit this profile

• Schoolchildren: young students are often the best ambassadors for the preservation of flora and fauna. Educational projects are being undertaken in this area to enable them to understand the LIFE Avaloirs Project.
• Firefighters: they are essential in helping prevent potential fire risks in the project area.
• The Environmental Police: they are called upon to protect this endangered territory in a more effective way.

A project of this magnitude allows for all kinds of experimentation in all areas. As part of the LIFE Programme, the results of all these experiments are made public.

Why?

This helps enrich the knowledge of other project managers who might attempt to adopt the same techniques. Thus, if the results are positive, it is possible to perform the same action. If the results are negative, however, managers will not waste time testing it.

This is how a network of project managers is created between the various LIFE projects but also between associations and other stakeholders in endangered areas.

The organisation and coordination of the project is necessary to link all actions together and allow them to run smoothly. It also makes it possible to manage administrative and financial issues more effectively.

Several project-monitoring bodies have been set up for this purpose:

• The Steering Committee - to monitor the progress of the project.
• The Management Committee - to coordinate the actions of the Normandy-Maine Regional Nature Park and the Mayenne Departmental Council.
• The Scientific and Technical Committee - to validate the relevance of the actions undertaken.

After the analysis and work comes the time for evaluation. Once the restoration is complete on the various plots, monitoring is set up.

What is the purpose?

• Find out if the restoration work has been effective
• Understand the evolution of plots after works
• Compare the effectiveness of one technique against the other
• Analyse potential persistent threats

If the LIFE Avaloirs Project is to have an impact on its environment and the species that live there, then it is logical to assume that it will also impact on the human residents, stakeholders, users and the public in general. To assess this impact, a table of measures has been put in place.

For the general public:

• Number of communication media distributed
• Number of people reached by Facebook posts
• Number of visits to the website

For people directly involved in the project:

• Number of people involved in the professional integration days
• Number of walkers on the territory's trails (assessed using eco-meters).

Nature has always provided services to humans (e.g. carbon storage by peatland, pollination, etc.), this is what we call ecosystem services.

Put simply, this is everything that Man would have to pay for if nature were not able to provide it.

With regard to the LIFE Avaloirs Project, the aim is to determine, through a study, whether the restoration of environments favourable to species such as the Hen Harrier, makes it possible to acquire new functions and/or new uses for this ecosystem.

At the start of the LIFE Avaloirs Project, “performance indicators” were established.

What is that?

The performance indicators make it possible to quantify the effectiveness of the project. These are objectives that were set at the start of the project, with a defined schedule.

They affect several areas:

• Energy: the wood cut during restoration projects should allow for the creation of around 9,600,000 kWh over 5 years (initial estimate)
• Territory: the acquisition and management of at least 25 hectares of land should allow the restoration of natural habitats
• Habitats: restoration of 120 hectares of moorland, 8 hectares of peatland and 10 hectares of meadow will be carried out by the end of the project
• Species: by the end of the 5-year project, it is expected that there will be 3 to 5 breeding pairs of Hen Harrier and 30 to 40 breeding pairs of European Nightjar
• Employment: creation of 2 permanent jobs and 4 internship positions during the 5-year project
• Awareness-raising: by the end of the 5-year project, at least 31,000 people should have been made aware of the LIFE Avaloirs Project

Far from being a constraint, these performance indicators allow a regular review of the actions undertaken and to see the progress made towards their final objective.