Pesticides, hunting, pre-emption… What could change with the Landes de La Poterie nature reserve

How to effectively protect the Landes de la Poterie, “a site of exceptional ecological interest”, welcoming all the species of reptiles recorded in the department, but also all the species of newts observable in France, without forgetting a variety of dragonflies unprecedented in Côtes-d’Armor? This is the question that local elected officials, but also members of the VivArmor Nature association, have been trying to answer for years.

Part of the answer may be found in the nature reserve status, one of the strongest nature protection statuses in France. In France, this legal tool is already in force on 361 sites, including 16 in Brittany. And the Landes la Poterie could soon be one of these protected areas, where human activities (vehicle traffic, agricultural activities, hunting, walks, etc.) are very supervised.

Invasive species, pesticides and waste

In 2020, the Brittany region launched a call for expressions of interest, called “New regional nature reserves in Brittany”. Supported by the City of Lamballe, the Agglomeration and VivArmor Nature, the Landes de la Poterie application was then selected from among eleven candidates. But the file – likely to provide between €40,000 and €55,000 in annual funding – has not yet been closed, nor fully validated by the Region.

This Monday evening, November 4, members of the Lamballe-Armor municipal council were informed of the progress of the project. Rozenn Gaillard, head of the biodiversity department at Lamballe Terre et Mer, first recalled the dangers that threaten the site: deposit of waste, invasive exotic species, uprooting of hedgerows, use of pesticides, road traffic, etc.

No expropriation or pre-emption

If the Region definitively validates the project, its official launch could take place in a little over a year. Until then, the perimeter of the reserve must be finalized. In the meantime, the land process work continues, in order to convince as many owners as possible. “Twenty-three of them have already given their agreement for a period of ten years. We have already gathered 132 hectares for the future reserve, including 86 ha of public plots,” detailed Rozenn Gaillard.

“Everything is done through consultation. Owners and operators are free to join,” recalled Jean-Luc Barbo, vice-president of Lamballe Terre et Mer in charge of biodiversity issues. “There will be no expropriation or pre-emption,” insisted Mayor Philippe Hercouët.

Big game hunting authorized

What consequences for voluntary owners? An exemption from the tax on undeveloped land if their land is in a wetland, in return for the ban on using phytosanitary products or growing crops.

What about hunting, a practice defended by the leader of the right and the center Stéphane de Sallier Dupin? “Hunting for big game (wild boar, deer, etc.) should continue in certain places. For small game, particularly woodcock, discussions are underway with hunters,” explained Jean-Luc Barbo.

As for walkers, they will be able to continue walking in the Landes, but not in too large numbers. “The collapse of biodiversity is a catastrophic reality. However, it is still difficult to work on the protection of species and to implement very concrete things. This is what we do here,” concluded Philippe Hercouët.