Exceptional ecological wealth
FAUNA AND FLORA
Miscellaneous assets
The Grand Site area encompasses many different environments, favourable to a variety of heritage fauna and flora.
REPTILES
Among reptiles, there are habitats suitable for Hermann's tortoise, the European tree frog and the European pond turtle. Amphibians are well represented, notably including the Sardinian discoglossid (Sardinian toad) and the Green Toad.
BIRDS
The area is distinguished by its rich birdlife. The red kite (Milvus milvus) is regularly observed there, as is the Stone Curlew in the open areas of the plain. Rocky areas may be home to the Peregrine Falcon, while the Red-headed Shrike may be present in semi-open areas. The Sardinian Warbler (Sylvia undata) and the Sardinian Warbler (Sardinian warbler) are also among the protected species at the site.
CHIROPTERA
In the territory, bats find varied hunting grounds, and proven roosts have been identified for several species of high heritage value, such as the lesser horseshoe bat (Hipposideros rhinolophus), the Greater Horseshoe Bat and the Geoffroy's Bat.
INSECTS
Open and semi-open environments are home to several remarkable insects, including the Corsican Zygene and the Corsican Swallowtail (Papilio hospiton), as well as the Corsican Barbitist, the Porto-Vecchio Decticella, the Corsican Phaneroptera and the Jasmine Cricket. The potential presence of the Great Capricorn beetle, a protected species, further enhances the site's entomological interest.
FLORA
As for flora, 131 heritage plant species are listed in the bibliography, including one species of Community interest: the island cabbage (Brassica insularis) of Barbaggio and Poggio d'Oletta.
The rich flora is also evident in the remarkable diversity of orchids, such as Ophrys conradiæ, named after the Corsican botanist Marcelle Conrad, Ophrys funerea and Ophrys zonata, both endemic to Corsica and Sardinia and very rare, and Anacamptis papilionacea, Neotinea lactea and Serapias lingua.
Other emblematic heritage species such as the tree spurge (Euphorbia dendroides), sea lavender (Lavatera maritima) and oleander (Nerium oleander) illustrate the diversity of Mediterranean habitats present.
NATURA 2000 SITES
ECOLOGICAL RISKS AND CONTINUITY
Natura 2000 sites aim to preserve rare or endangered habitats and species in Europe. The Grand Site territory includes three Natura 2000 sites. The Grand Site now manages two of these Natura 2000 sites: Stations à chou insulaire and Strette de Saint-Florent.
ISLAND CABBAGE STATIONS (BRASSICA INSULARIS)
- Location: Western slope of Monte Seccu, in the municipalities of Barbaggio and Poggio d'Oletta
- Area: 67 hectares
- Altitude: 400 to 714 metres
This is one of five sites in Corsica designated for the preservation of the island cabbage (Brassica insularis), a rare plant species that is globally endangered and of heritage and agronomic interest (as a reservoir of resistance genes for cultivated cabbages).
«Saint-Florent Strait
- Location: The Sant’Anghjulu limestone range, the Poggio and Strutta streams
- Area: 186.29 hectares
- Altitude: Up to approximately 400 m
Composed of rocky ridges and limestone cliffs, the «strette» are conducive to specific biodiversity and constitute a habitat of Community interest.
AGRIATE (LAND AND MARITIME TERRITORY)
- Location: Seafront of the Grand Site, up to Ostriconi
- Area: 29,670 ha (including 78.1 TP3T at sea)
- Altitude: Up to approximately 400 m
These remarkable coastal and marine areas (dunes, scrubland, Posidonia seagrass beds) are home to a wealth of habitats. The marine section is part of the Cap Corse and Agriate Marine Nature Park.
MARINE NATURE PARK
CAP CORSE AND AGRIATE
Created in 2016 (6,830 km²), it partially covers the marine territory of the Grand Site.
It protects rare habitats (seagrass beds, coralligenous reefs) and heritage species (red lobster, dentex, lobster, bluefin tuna, yellowtail, swordfish, cetaceans, seabirds such as Audouin's gulls, crested cormorants, Cory's shearwaters and ospreys).
PARK OBJECTIVES
In cooperation with all stakeholders in the region and public policy makers, the Park ensures a balance between environmental and economic issues in its maritime territory.
It fulfils three fundamental objectives:
- Learning more about the marine environment
- Protecting the marine environment
- Supporting the sustainable development of maritime activities
These objectives are broken down into six strategic priorities:
- Improve knowledge of the coastal and marine areas around Cap Corse and Agriate in terms of their natural and cultural components, through inventorying, collecting and deepening scientific knowledge, local knowledge and participatory research.
- Raise awareness, empower and support different audiences so that their practices respond to the challenges of sustainable development and marine biodiversity conservation.
- Preserve, or even restore, the integrity of marine and coastal ecosystems, particularly those habitats and species that are rare or emblematic of the park.
- Contribute to the characterisation, assessment and improvement of water quality, which is essential for the proper functioning and good condition of the marine ecosystems of Cap Corse and Agriate.
- Create and maintain momentum so that professional and leisure activities make the park an exemplary model of sustainable and equitable development, open to innovation.
- Reclaiming local maritime culture and passing on a passion for the sea: a place of escape and freedom, but also of duty.
SOME EMBLEMATIC SPECIES
The large Mediterranean spider
The large Mediterranean spider (Maja squinado), is a species found on all types of seabed, whether sandy or rocky, or even in Posidonia seagrass beds. This crustacean, whose carapace can measure up to 25 cm, is most often observed between the surface and a depth of 50 m, but it is not uncommon to find it at greater depths. Did you know that this species is an expert in the art of camouflage? Young spider crabs use their claws to catch algae, sponges, molluscs and small anemones, which they attach to their shells. Highly prized for its taste, the spider crab is making a comeback along our coasts, where it is rising from the depths. If you are lucky enough to come across one, remember that only professional fishermen are authorised to catch this species.
Sea urchins
Fishing for sea urchins is highly regulated and controlled. To ensure that we can continue to enjoy this delicate but fragile delicacy, the Park conducts scientific monitoring work with the Stella Mare research platform. Twice a year, divers conduct counts at eight sites in the Park, at different depths, to obtain an accurate picture of the purple sea urchin population and be able to organise the sustainable management of this resource in partnership with professional fishermen.
ATLAS
COMMUNAL BIODIVERSITY (ABC)
The Grand Site's ABC approach aims to strengthen understanding of local biodiversity issues, in close connection with the specific landscape and cultural characteristics of the area.
It responds to a desire on the part of the six municipalities and the Grand Site Joint Association to gain a better understanding of the fauna and flora present in their territory, to raise awareness among residents and visitors of the area's natural riches, and to support local economic actors in taking biodiversity into account in their actions. The Municipal Biodiversity Atlas will provide the Grand Site with a tool for the municipalities in the area, facilitating their commitment to the protection and preservation of local biodiversity.
The ABC Project
The ABC project does not stop at the boundaries of the Grand Site but includes the entire perimeter of the six municipalities involved in the Atlas project as a whole, namely: Barbaggio, Patrimonio, Saint-Florent, Farinole, Poggio-d'Oletta and Oletta. The work resulting from the ABC will enable local authorities to better take biodiversity issues into account in their projects.