TOUR DU VALAT
A research centre for the conservation of Mediterranean wetlands
Tour du Valat
Preserve this exceptionally rich natural heritage
Censuses
Many floristic samples are taken, and bird and mammal counting is carried out on the estate:
- Monitoring of the flora (botanical inventory, monitoring of rare species, monitoring of the impact of grazing),
- Monitoring of the fauna (invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, avifauna (weekly counting of the waterfowl + monitoring of breeding), mammals (capture of boars, counting of rabbits).
Management and development
The estate team oversees the site development and maintenance:
- Repair of dykes and canals
- Maintenance of paths and access ways (62kms of paths suitable for motor vehicles during the summer period, only 6 during the winter),
- Infrastructure for the wildlife: platforms for White Storks, a small island for birds, a bird house nest site/platform/box for the Peregrine Falcon, a bird house nest box for the Kestrel, a shelter for bats, etc.
- Eradication of introduced species (tree groundsel, pampas grass, Ludwigia (water primrose), coypus).
It is also in charge of the hydrological management and monitoring of 640 ha of marshes.
Two types of management are practised:
- Active management of bodies of water with no emergent vegetation to encourage the return of wintering ducks.
- Natural management for some marshes of which the habitats are classified as having priority (monitoring of the water level once a week).
