A-Infos (en) France, UCL AL #364 - Ecology - VivArmor Nature: A collective serving Breton biodiversity (ca, de, fr, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]

Since its creation in 1974, the VivArmor Nature association has 
established itself as a key player in environmental protection in the 
Côtes-d'Armor region. Founded by biology teachers and local residents, 
it was born out of an urgent need to protect the Bay of Saint-Brieuc, 
which was then threatened by several absurd industrial projects: the 
construction of polders to grow tulips, an airport, etc. The 
association's early years were marked by a slow but steady growth. 
Supported by public partners such as the Regional Directorate for the 
Environment, Planning, and Housing (DREAL), the French Office for 
Biodiversity, and several local authorities, the association was able to 
employ its first biodiversity specialists starting in 2001. It was under 
these conditions that VivArmor Nature became a pioneer in France in the 
creation of municipal biodiversity atlases and the sustainable 
management of recreational shore fishing.

Scientific Expertise and Strong Partners
The first of these atlases was created in Plérin-sur-Mer, leading to a 
conference. The project quickly gained momentum. The latest to be 
published is the intercommunal atlas of the Lamballe Terre & Mer region, 
and the next will be that of the Saint-Brieuc Armor Agglomeration, 
bringing together 32 municipalities and more than 500 wildlife and flora 
observation points, mobilizing elected officials, residents, and 
scientists. These atlases are not simple inventories: they serve as 
political levers. Indeed, damage to biodiversity is often the result of 
ignorance rather than a desire to cause harm. The atlases provide 
concrete recommendations to elected officials and help preserve 
ecological corridors, essential to wildlife.

As part of the national "Watch out, we're walking on eggshells!" ", four 
naturalist associations in the Côtes d'Armor (VivArmor Nature, GEOCA, 
LPO Bretagne, and Bretagne Vivante) are jointly mobilizing their 
volunteers to help protect species nesting on the upper beaches (ringed 
plovers, terns, oystercatchers, gulls, etc.).
Alfred Kenneally
Co-founder and member of France Nature Environnement Bretagne, VivArmor 
Nature collaborates with organizations such as the League for the 
Protection of Birds (LPO), Eaux et rivières de Bretagne, the 
Côtes-d'Armor Ornithological Study Group (GEOCA), and specialized 
associations such as the French Herpetological Society (SHF), which 
works for reptiles and amphibians in France, and the Armorican 
Invertebrate Study Group, which studies insects and other small 
creatures across the Armorican massif. Thanks to these networks, she was 
able to participate in the study of the ecological corridors of the 
green tree frog, an umbrella species[1].

The most striking example of VivArmor Nature's effectiveness is the 
closure of the RD-28 road near Lamballe, which cut through an amphibian 
migration corridor. After conducting a body count, the organization set 
up a system of barriers and buckets allowing volunteers to safely guide 
newts, toads, and salamanders across. This initiative lasted three 
years, mobilizing volunteers every winter. This approach, presented and 
explained to local elected officials, resulted in the permanent closure 
of the road, a first in France to protect amphibians.

This success led to a project for the Landes and Bocage de La Poterie 
Regional Nature Reserve. After two years of consultation, 43 private 
landowners and four public entities agreed to include their plots, for a 
total of 183 hectares. The landscape mosaic of this area-heathlands, 
wetland woodlands, and meadows-supports remarkable biodiversity and more 
than 50 endangered species have been recorded to date. A final decision 
is expected in March 2026.

VivArmor Nature also co-manages the Saint-Brieuc Bay National Nature 
Reserve with Saint-Brieuc Armor. Each has its own role: the community is 
responsible for the conservation and monitoring of the site, while 
Vivarmor ensures scientific monitoring and visitor awareness through the 
mobilization of volunteers. The urban area employs the curator and the 
technical ranger, and the association employs its own science outreach 
workers.

This exceptional area, with its mudflats, reed beds, foreshore, dunes 
and salt meadows[2], is home to more than 350 plant species and 
remarkable fauna: otters, seals, migratory birds, amphibians, etc. 
Located on the Channel-Atlantic migratory route, the bay is a crucial 
stopover for thousands of birds each year. VivArmor Nature relies on the 
commitment of more than 1,000 members and an active core of 380 
volunteers, including 150 people mobilized for major events such as the 
annual Nature Armor festival organized by the association since 2006. 
This is the largest nature event in Brittany, which, despite 
unpredictable weather, brought together 8,000 visitors in Quévert, near 
Dinan, at the last edition at the end of January.

To participate in the biodiversity initiatives offered throughout the 
year and support VivArmor Nature, visit Vivarmor.fr. Raising Awareness 
and Training
The role of volunteers goes far beyond logistical assistance: counting 
swallow nests, providing recommendations to shore-gathering fishermen, 
conducting naturalist monitoring, raising awareness among visitors to 
natural areas, participating in nature projects and research programs in 
the bay, etc. The data collected by the association is accessible to all 
and contributes to databases used by universities around the world.

Since 2017, VivArmor Nature has been offering naturalist training 
courses accessible to all through its "University of Nature." The 
program includes learning how to recognize plants, amphibians, reptiles, 
insects, and algae, as well as the basics of ecology, combining theory 
and field trips, with a participatory approach. It trains residents in 
prospecting and identifying species, helping to spread scientific culture.

Nasham (UCL Montreuil)

Validate

[1]An umbrella species is a species whose protection entails that of 
many others, because it has more demanding ecological needs (space, 
habitat quality, diet, etc.). By preserving it, we protect an entire 
ecosystem.

[2]These are five typical coastal environments: mudflats (areas of mud 
exposed at low tide), reed beds (wetlands with reeds), foreshore (space 
between tides), dunes (sandy coastal landforms), and salt meadows 
(meadows flooded by the sea, rich in salt-tolerant plants).

https://www.unioncommunistelibertaire.org/?VivArmor-nature-Un-collectif-au-service-de-la-biodiversite-bretonne
_________________________________________
A - I N F O S  N E W S  S E R V I C E
By, For, and About Anarchists
Send news reports to A-infos-en mailing list
A-infos-en@ainfos.ca
Subscribe/Unsubscribe https://ainfos.ca/mailman/listinfo/a-infos-en
Archive: http://ainfos.ca/en