The second edition of the “Pole relais lagunes Méditerranéennes” award was offered in 2013. The objective of this award is to promote innovative activities taking place in lagoon environments and implemented by local actors. It aims to encourage elected officials and developers to undertake similar actions.
Over the past 40 years, the landscape of Mediterranean lagoons has greatly evolved. Nowadays, innovative actions are carried out in many of these environments. The “Pole lagunes” being a programme at the service of Mediterranean lagoon stakeholders, wishes to promote these activities for their exemplary and innovative character. The themes of this second edition were “culture and artistic creation”, as this year also saw the mobilisation of managers during the European Heritage Days and the establishment of the Ramsar Culture Network.
Three projects were shortlisted:
- The “Archives of the sensitive” by the Regional Natural Parc of the Narbonnaise in the Mediterranean;
- The “Rhônements Desires” by Citron Jaune (Yellow Lemon); and
- The “Deltaïques” festival by the CPIE Rhône Pays d’Arles.
The winner, as decided by the steering committee of the “Pole lagunes”, was “The Archives of the sensitive” by the “Regional Natural Parc of the Narbonnaise in the Mediterranean”. The jury was impressed by the strong involvement of local stakeholders in the project, by the use of an artistic and cultural approach in order to highlight the area and the issues it faces and for raising public awareness on the need to conserve wetlands.
Ms Bat, Vice-President of the Cultural Committee of the Regional Natural Parc of the Narbonnaise in the Mediterranean was awarded by Mr Schiavetti, President of the Regional Natural Parc of the Camargue in the presence of Mr. Vauzelle, President of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’ Azur Region on 27 October 2013, during the celebration of the Regional Natural Park of the Camargue.
In the 2011 edition of the Pôle-relais Lagunes Méditerranéennes award, the programme “Vert Demain (Green Tomorrow)” coordinated by the Joint Union of Coastal Ponds (LEIS) was honoured for its innovative approach to reducing pesticide use on the Palavas ponds. This action motivated other areas facing the same problem.