France, thanks to its departments, regions and overseas collectivities (Guyana, New Caledonia, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, etc.), presents a cumulated area of more than 100 000 ha of mangroves. Mangroves, which are often mistakenly regarded as unhealthy and worthless environments, play an important role in the coastal economy thanks to the many ecosystem services they provide: production of timber and fishery resources, support for tourism activities, protection of the coast, water purification, carbon storage, rich biodiversity, etc.
To protect these areas, which are under severe pressure from human activities, the Conservatoire du Littoral and its partners embarked on a process of land acquisition and management of mangroves in overseas territories in consultation with the local authorities concerned. To support this strategy, the Conservatoire du Littoral has entrusted Vertigo Lab with the task of assessing the benefits associated with protecting the mangroves of Guyana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte and Saint Martin for 25 years. These benefits relate in particular to the maintenance (or even strengthening) of ecosystem services produced, which would be reduced if the degradation of these environments continued. The results of the study of Vertigo Lab were presented on 01 June to the National Assembly to the elected representatives of overseas territories, in the presence of Barbara Pompili, Secretary of State for biodiversity. They also led to the submission of a research article that will improve the knowledge about the benefits of good management of these exceptional ecosystems.
View the study: Benefits of protecting overseas mangroves by the Conservatoire du Littoral (EN abstract)
