Development of an information system with spatial references to assist management of Atlantic costline wethlands

Abstract

Atlantic marshlands (250,000 ha) are areas where diverse private interests are expressed. New occupants, such as hunters, join landowners and farmers. These areas also have a collective stake in relation to the various functions occupying these natural areas. In these environments subject to the hazards of nature, man's actions, and complex physical operations where land and water are closely linked, increasingly specialised uses make it increasingly difficult to established reasoned, joint management. By federating research in several fields, we have attempted to propose methods and provide knowledge to favour the establishment of information systems. These systems favour shared knowledge to facilitate negotiations between users and managers, associating them by means of communication tools founded on spatial representation, for example. We have developed a dual approach to accomplish this: technical research on establishment procedures for these types of systems, and a series of thematic research concerning the content of the relative knowledge bases. We have distinguished three representation scales corresponding simultaneously to marshland operational modes and intervention contexts for managers and users: local (individual, patch/ditch), intermediate (syndicate/association/community, management parameter/lot) and regional (catchment area/ local authorities/ agencies/ SAGE). Many theme groups were studied: structure and physical condition of ditches networks, hydrological operation in wet environments, water and aquatic habitat quality, aquatic plant and fish communities. Special attention has been given to salt marshland users and their impact on aquatic environment evolution and operation. While the demand was not validated at the different chosen scales, actions have been taken to establish tools for local management of these wetlands, and to introduce information structuring concerning the state of these marshlands (operating report) on a regional scale.