Helping the municipalities being better aware of biodiversity

Natura 2000 site is often limited to the steering committee’s yearly meetings. The time spent on activities by facilitators, in this case of the SMGG, in order for them to gain the necessary knowledge and means is insufficient. However, a good take on the challenges is crucial for them to better take said challenges into account while managing the municipality on a day-to-day basis, and on the long-term the municipality’s natural and built heritage. This lack of knowledge induces practices that may be harmful for biodiversity.

The municipalities encountered have confirmed the difficulties they met when communicating on Natura 2000 with their populations and raising awareness, for lack of means and methods. The aim is therefore to bring them the tools needed to help them in these approaches. Its other aim is to involve the village inhabitants in order to ease the variation of these practices in favour of biodiversity, in their daily life.

The purpose of this measure is to support 3 pilot municipalities (Sanilhac-Sagriès, La Capelle et Masmolène and Bouquet) in better adapting to and grasping the challenges related to the species and habitats of community importance when managing their natural and built heritage.

• The first step shall imply making an analysis of the three pilot municipalities’ mode of operation: level of adoption of the Natura 2000 level, taking into account the challenges related to biodiversity in their management, existing communication and awareness tools, specific needs, etc.
• According to the identified needs and means, an apparatus shall be developed with both the elected representatives and municipal officials. It shall have a “tool box” including a general component, that all the Natura 2000 sites municipalities shall have in common, and a component customised according to each site’s challenges and to each municipality. Moreover, it shall include tools in order to communicate better with their population, a dozen or so factsheets (for instance, how to manage green spaces in order to reduce the impact on biodiversity, or even to stimulate it), a model charter of good practices for the municipality’s providers to follow, the markets to back on, and perusing.
  
• Three theoretical and on-site trainings meant for the municipal staff shall be carried out for them to understand the challenges and to adapt their practices. All of the three municipalities’ technicians shall be invited every year in order the make the sharing of experiences easier. Technicians from other municipalities shall equally be invited to the training provided to the three “pilot” municipalities
• Participatory sciences and activities meant for the locals shall be organised in order to help them getting involved and adopting these good practices at their level. According to their needs and expectations, the themes shall be broad-based (fauna flora) or specific (for instance: amphibians for La Capelle, insects for Sanilhac and birds for Bouquet). For more information

• For those good practices to spread, two meetings shall be organised in 2025 and 2026 with the elected representatives of other regional municipalities for them to adopt the implemented tools and methods. The tool box shall then be widespread to all the municipalities within the Natura 2000 sites involved in this project. The goal is for 10 municipalities to join a similar approach within the 5 to 10 years following the completion of the LIFE Terra Musiva project.