Journal de La Réserve Naturelle Nationale de St.Martin #32

The clean-up and repairs of damage caused by hurricane Irma on sites managed by the Conservatoire du Littoral led to the creation of a strategic plan, which breaks down into four major actions. Funding comes from three sources: 80% from the French Agency for Biodi- versity, the French government as part of the post-hurricane cleanup (clean-up phase for the sites), and from the treasury of the Conservatoire. 27 Optimiser les moyens de gestion / Optimizing management means Conservatoire du Littoral: Post-Irma Actions Aerial Photos The first operation was an aerial photo shoot to obtain images using a drone, especially above the salt ponds, in order to establish the impact on the mangroves, to verify the condition of water outlets, and identify debris in the most inaccessible areas. Comparison with aerial pho- tos taken in June 2017 provided a clearer estimation of the impact of the hurricane on these wetlands. The second mission required the cooper- ation of ecologist Mélanie Haerteman and Anne-Marie Bouillé, head of the Conserv- atoire in Saint Martin. In March, they exam- ined the state of fauna and flora and took hydrological measurements — temperature, oxygenation, salinity, and currents— as well as mapped the extent of debris. They cov- ered Etang des Salines d’Orient, Etang aux Poissons, Etang de la Barrière, Etang de Chevrise, Lucas Bay pond, Etang Guich- ard, and they visited ponds by the airport, the cemetery of Grand Case, and the Low- lands, as well as Pinel. An information sheet currently defines the priorities at each site, actions to avoid, and those to promote. The Etang de la Barrière, where the mangrove was the hardest hit, figures at the very top of the list. An Ecological Mission L’étang de la Barrière avant et après le passage d’Irma - The Barrière pond before and after Irma Exploration en kayak - Exploring on board a kayak