L'Aber de Crozon

This ancient estuary was partly enclosed in the 19th century. This closure resulted in a dune bar developing across the remaining tidal area which was finally closed off in 1956 by a dyke. The land behind the 1956 dyke developed into terrestrial vegetation which reverted in only three years to something like its original mudflat/saltmarsh after the dyke was removed in 1973. The original breach was undertaken by the French Conservatoire du Littoral which bought the site in 1980 with the express intention of reopening the site to tidal influence (Vaucourt 1995). No monitoring or other intervention was made and the local population felt the site had been deserted. Nevertheless it does provide an interesting example of managed realignment which has had more than 25 years development.

Comment: A site, which should be investigated further.

References

Vaucourt, C. 1995. Policy of maintenance and reconversion of embanked salt-marshes along the French tidal coast. In: Coastal Management and Habitat Conservation, eds.Salman, A.H.P.M., Langeveld, M.J. & Bonazountas, M.EUCC, Leiden, The Netherlands, 299-311.