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

ongoing

The biodiversity loss is particularly important in urban and suburban areas, and Bordeaux Métropole (BM) is no exception. 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 and intensive agriculture. 5 restoration projects will be set up on 4 sites (6907 ha): agro-ecological exploitation, dike retreat, reduction of light and noise pollution, reversing artificialization of land and 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 level, in particular Mustela lutreola, Coenagrion mercuriale, Epidalea calamita, Emys orbicularis, Euphydryas aurinia, Lampetra planeri, Lowland hay meadows (6510) and Hygrophilous megaphorbs (6430). They will also positively impact the living environment and quality of life of residents, reduce flood risk, provide sustainable energy, increase food resilience, reduce urban heat islands and improve 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. In view of its impact on habitats and species with an unfavourable 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. 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.