The salt marshes of île de Noirmoutier

» The biodiversity

The salt marshes of Île de Noirmoutier offer a mosaic of habitats more or less under the influence of salt water, conducive to the development of a very diverse flora and fauna. Coastal lagoons, priority habitat, and associated habitats of community interest are thus very present in the marsh area. Of anthropogenic origin, the salt marshes of the island of Noirmoutier owe their current diversity to varied management methods, certain basins being the subject of economic, salicultural, shellfish or aquacultural activity, others being used for leisure activities or not subject to any intervention. It is also an important nesting place, migratory stage and wintering site for many bird species.

The island has two nature reserves (regional and national) which cover 11% of the marshes on the island of Noirmoutier.

Several bird species, covered by the Birds Directive, use the island territory:

• The Pied avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta): 500-1300 max wintering and 250-300 max breeding pairs over 5 years on the Ile de Noirmoutier.
• The Common Tern (Sterna hirundo): 250-300 max. breeding pairs over 5 years on the Ile de Noirmoutier.
• The Common Redshank (Tringa totanus): 100-500 max. wintering over 5 years on the Isle of Noirmoutier.
• The Black-tailed godwit (Limosa limosa limosa): 500-2000 max. wintering over 5 years on the Isle of Noirmoutier.

For wildlife we ​​can also cite the European Eel (Anguilla anguilla) or the Leste with great stigmas (Lestes macrostigma) with large numbers in the National Natural Reserve of the Müllembourg marshes and the Oudinières marsh. (Reference to “Leste” page).

For the flora, the sea sagebrush (Artemisia maritima) is mainly present on the catchment area of ​​the mill’s estate (reference to page “sagebrush”).

The Tolypelle saline (Tolypella salina) is also present on the marshes of Ile de Noirmoutier (see page “Tolypelle”).

» Socio-economic activities

Today, these marshes are characterized by various socio-economic activities.
If the salt-producing activity suffered a strong decline between the years 1945 to 1990, for twenty years, the saliculture knows a new boom. The site corresponds to the third pole of French production of sea salt and constitutes with the Marshes of Guérande and Mès, other territory of LIFE Sallina, the two main sectors of artisanal production of salt. Salt farming activity represents 55% of the wetland. The other economic sectors present are oyster farming (9%), fish farming (3%), and farming (8%).

» The threats

The main threats include the deterioration of hydraulic functioning, the disappearance of the mosaic of habitats and the homogenization of biodiversity through the proliferation of invasive species.