Project Invasive Species – PIM Initiative

INVASIVE SPECIES

Strategy towards invasive species on Provence islands 2018

Pilot Site : Islands and islets of Provence

Supported by : French Agency for Biodiversity (AFB)

Invasive species represent a central issue in island environments. PIM have therefore been commissioned by the French Agency for the Biodiversity (AFB) to draw up a strategy towards invasive species impacting negatively heritage seabird species on the islands and islets of Provence. This strategy is in line with the objectives of the Marine Environment Strategic Framework Directive. The strategy is based on the Islands Database developped by PIM, on the data compilation work carried out previously within the framework of the Atlas project and on exchanges with the National Parks of Port-Cros and the Calanques in particular. The strategy has been presented to the managers and Scientific Council of the Parks and we are now proceeding with the dissemination of the document and its application.

Strategy to combat invasive species on Corsican peripheral islets - 2022

With financial support from the European Union, Next GénérationEU, France Relance and the French Office for Biodiversity.

The PIM Initiative is also in charge of developing a strategy to combat invasive species impacting seabirds on Corsica’s peripheral islands. The project involves carrying out a feasibility study for the eradication of the Black Rat from the island of Gargalu (22 ha) and its neighbouring islet Garganellu (1 ha) (Scandola Nature Reserve), in cooperation with the managers of the Scandola Reserve and the relevant public environmental institutions in Corsica (Office de l’Environnement de la Corse, Parc Naturel Régional de Corse, Réserve de Scandola), as well as carrying out the operation.

Prior to the operation, protocols for monitoring the biodiversity potentially impacted by the presence of the Black Rat (birds, reptiles, arthropods, vegetation) were set up on the island. The aim of this monitoring is to obtain a t0 status before any potential eradication of the rat. They will then be replicated to monitor changes in the various biological compartments following the disappearance of the Black Rat, and to assess the long-term effectiveness of the management measure on the island’s biodiversity.