Presentation:

The LIFE BIODIV’OM European programme has been established in order to protect the biodiversity of France’s overseas territories: Guyana, Reunion, Martinique, Saint-Martin and Mayotte.

These overseas territories are home to 80% of France’s biodiversity, a unique biodiversity in the world and exceptional at the European level. However, the biodiversity is highly threatened on these small insular territories by an increasing human population and pressure from investment, forestry, mining and tourism as well as climatic events.

LIFE BIODIV’OM is necessary in order to limit the decline of biodiversity occurring in these 5 overseas territories. It follows on from the LIFE+ CAP DOM European programme that was coordinated by the LPO – Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux (Birdlife partner in France) and concerned three French overseas territories: Guyana, Reunion and Martinique from 2010 to 2015. This programme allowed for the elaboration and testing of new methods of protection of birds and a natural habitat: the Guiana savannahs.

This new programme aims to consolidate the useful links formed between the three territories during LIFE+ CAP DOM and to continue to conserve those birds and the Guyana savannas. It includes two new territories: Saint-Martin and Mayotte and three new species: Atlantic goliath grouper, Nassau grouper and Madagascar pond-heron. This programme’s prime aim is to assure the continuity of the actions and to favour less costly methods by favouring the involvement of local people.

Aims:

The LIFE BIODIV’OM programme has two main objectives:

• Increase the populations of 5 global threatened species
  • Reunion cuckooshrike on Reunion
  • Malagasy pond-heron on Mayotte
  • White-breasted thrasher on Martinique
  • Atlantic goliath grouper at Saint-Martin
  • Nassau grouper at Saint-Martin

• Improve the conservation of threatened species’ habitats
  • By the control of invasive alien species (IAS), either plants or animals.
  • Protect those sites important for the species, targeted by the programme

Main information

Duration: September 2018 to September 2023

Budget:    5 578 171 €