The Syndicat Mixte du Parc Naturel Régional des Marais du Cotentin et du Bessin is one of the winners of the setec Foundation’s 2023 annual campaign, which focused on biodiversity in coastal wetlands.The aim of the project “Adapting agriculture in the backshore marshes of the East Cotentin coast to climate change” is to improve knowledge of backshore wet meadows by monitoring their evolution in relation to global warming, in order to support farmers in adapting their practices on these meadows.
The project is sponsored by Aymeric Jayet of setec énergie environnement.
The setec Foundation has pledged 15,600 euros to fund the creation of the observatory, the purchase of equipment and the outfitting of the plots.
The project financed is part of a wider “Our coastline tomorrow?” program comprising 3 components:
1. Regional planning
- Identification of the need for fallback zones in areas at risk from water-related hazards in 2060.
- A prospective study on the creation of a new waterfront.
- A pre-feasibility study on relocating the Utah Beach Museum.
- Improving the resilience of protective natural spaces.
2. Adapting activities
- Analyze, anticipate and support the adaptation of farms to climate change. Funded by the setec Foundation.
- Analyze, anticipate and support the adaptation of professional buildings to prevent coastal risks.
3. Raising awareness
- Organizing artistic, scientific and cultural events to raise awareness of the challenges of climate change.
- Experimenting with new awareness-raising methods to help local residents embrace change.
How far along is the project? :
The indicators are currently being defined. 4 major parameters have been identified:
- Climatic
- Hydraulic
- Agronomic
- Vegetation” indicators
The next steps will be to recruit volunteer farmers to equip their plots, and to consult with companies to purchase the necessary machinery and equipment.