► Observe Lake Geneva
On the shores of Lake Geneva, the scientific community has decided to call on the general public to monitor the health of the lake. Launched six months ago by the Federal Polytechnic School of Lausanne, in collaboration with the “Association for the Safeguarding of Lake Geneva” and two other local structures, “Lémanscope” is a participatory science program which offers people equipped with a canoe, paddle or other boat, to share their observations on the water, by taking a photo or using a measuring tool provided. Once the data has been entered into the “EyeOnWater – Color” application, participants have access to a discussion forum and conferences on the lake.
► Immerse to clean
According to a study by the Tara Ocean Foundation on dozens of rivers, there is an average of 220 pieces of waste, visible to the naked eye and of human origin, found on 100 meters of bank. Founded in 2018, in Lyon, the association “ Odysseus 3.1 » sets itself the mission of fighting against this macro-pollution: it allows amateur divers to collect various abandoned objects – scooters, bottles, bicycles, etc. – while highlighting the richness of the fauna and flora of the aquatic environment, by systematically accompanied by a biologist. Every first Saturday of the month, a cleaning operation takes place in the Rhône or the Saône, but the association also participates in operations in other regions of France. If you don't dive, it is also possible to help on land with collecting and sorting waste.
► Maintain wetlands
Human activity today exerts such pressure on the environment that flora and fauna sometimes need a helping hand. In France, this is the role given to the Conservatories of Natural Spaces (CEN) which buy or rent land to take care of it. Among them, a number of wetlands such as marshes, ponds or river banks, which are very fragile. Between September and December, a rest period for nature, the CENs open their sites to the general public by offering very accessible actions, almost everywhere in France: from cutting down invasive plants in Peyrelevade, in Corrèze, to clearing the pond. du Grand Mont, in the Doubs, to let dragonflies and amphibians develop there. To find a site near you, go to the CEN website.
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