Following the creation of its new regional association in Hauts-de-France in January 2024, the LPO organized its 32nd annual gathering in the capital of Flanders on June 22 and 23.
With more than 71,000 members, 9,000 volunteers and 650 employees, the LPO is today a major player in the protection of biodiversity in France. The association is the French representative of BirdLife International, a global coalition bringing together more than 120 naturalist organizations.
The National Congress brings together each year the leaders of LPO France, those of the twenty or so local LPOs set up at the level of a region or department, as well as several hundred active members of the association. One group even made the trip by bike from Bourgogne Franche-Comté and Ile-de-France on a carbon-free journey punctuated by beautiful nature stages.
Hosted at Lille City Hall, the event was an opportunity to publish the 2023 activity report and to look back on the most significant victories of the past year, including the end of “traditional” trapping of wild birds, the suspension of responsible fishing practices for dolphin catches in the Bay of Biscay, and the extension of the Sept-Îles national nature reserve (Côtes d’Armor), managed by the LPO since its creation in 1912. However, these all too rare successes mask a darker reality: biodiversity continues to collapse. In 30 years, France has lost more than a third of its birds, victims of the degradation of natural habitats, soil artificialization, pesticides, and pollution.
As the early legislative elections approach, the positioning of the LPO was addressed during the debates. For Allain Bougrain Dubourg, re-elected President of the LPO : « The LPO, for over a century, has always been apolitical and will remain so; but it is clear-eyed about reality. We are very concerned about the proposals of the extreme right, which reveal a systematic opposition to the ecological transition of our society and to the values of our association. The National Rally wants to reinstate all forms of hunting, including glue trapping, which we had banned by the Council of State after a long fight; it opposes Zero Net Artificialization, particularly for small municipalities; it is hostile to environmental education: this is unacceptable! However, we will not invite you to vote for or against any political party, because that is not our role! »
Basing its actions on science and law, the LPO remains more mobilized than ever to defend the interests of nature and encourage harmonious cohabitation between humans and the rest of the living. During the congress, a new partnership was signed with the National Federation of Organic Agriculture (FNAB) to encourage a real ecological transition of our agriculture and our food. The protection of marine biodiversity was also designated as a priority, and the LPO is already preparing the United Nations Conference on the Oceans to be held in Nice in June 2025.
Awarded since 2006 to personalities for their commitment to biodiversity, the “Golden Puffins” have rewarded Françoise Joly, veterinarian; Nathalie Labaeye, wildlife carer; Emmanuel Druon, director of the Pocheco company and Raphaël Mezrahi, actor.
After a Saturday that ended beautifully with the comedy show “Les Perruches et moi” by Antonio Fischetti, an outing on Sunday afternoon allowed visitors to discover the urban biodiversity of the Citadelle Vauban by taking one of the “Sport and Nature” trails developed with the support of the Organizing Committee of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in the “Terre de jeux” communities.
Next year, the national congress will take place in Rochefort (Charente-Maritime), headquarters of LPO France, on June 21 and 22, 2025.
){kind=link}