municipalIty biodiversity
Atlas
Municipalities and
community of municipalities
A Municipality Biodiversity Atlas (MBA) is:
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the most exhaustive possible inventory of biodiversity in a territory,
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a decision-making tool for municipalities,
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a collective animation of the territory on the subject of biodiversity,
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communication on the actions of the territory.
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Biodiversity includes all living things and their functioning, including humans.
The MBA is an initiative of the french Ministry of Ecology and is managed, in France, by the French Office for Biodiversity (OFB).
The atlas fits into the strategy for biodiversity and the biodiversity plan.
The MBA is an operation that takes place over 2 to 3 years.
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The Municipality Biodiversity Atlas (MBA) brings 4 advantages to municipalities:
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a decision support tool,
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a reduction in the risk of financial and time losses,
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local animation and mobilization of citizens behind their mayor and the municipal council,
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a position on a matter of topicality and global urgency.
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A decision support tool that provides answers to questions:
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on the objectives of french regulatory planning documents (SCoT, PLU, PLUi and municipal maps)
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on the inclusion of french SRCE in regulatory planning documents
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on the competence of mayors to issue individual planning authorizations including building permits
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on the creation of spaces of ecological continuity (french ECE)
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on the obligation to green the roofs of certain commercial establishments and to permeabilize parking spaces.
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A reduction in the risk of financial losses and time on projects that will be rejected due to negative impact on the environment.
Indeed, any land development project requires an impact study.
By playing the environmental lottery, a municipality can face significant financial losses if the impact study highlights the impossibility of carrying out a project in a targeted space. Not to mention the loss of time in appeals, possible lawsuits and searches for new potential sites.
The MBA, by its global dimension, gives a vision of the risks and development opportunities of the municipality.
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An animation involving all the actors of the territory
During an MBA, events are organized, such as:
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public meetings,
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discoveries in the field (biodiversity safari)
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communication on the territory and on the web,
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participation in inventories and the enrichment of knowledge.
The actors, or stakeholders, can concern citizens, associations, schools, companies, administrations, etc.
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A central positioning on a topical and urgent global issue.
Producing a Communality Biodiversity Atlas is a strong approach with a strong image.
By integrating into the national policy for biodiversity and respecting a standardized protocol, the MBA is a reliable and credible tool.
The local, national and global display contributes to the publicity of the municipality to the public.
The integration of companies and the population contributes to the appropriation of the approach by local actors and, potentially outside, of the municipality on the subject of the environment.
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Characteristics
A Municipality Biodiversity Atlas includes:
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an inventory of the fauna, flora and habitats of biodiversity in the territory
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the participation of citizens, associations, administrations and businesses in the territory (stakeholders)
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territorial biodiversity mapping
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royalty-free tools available online
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Benefit for the community
By carrying out an MBA, the municipality obtains:
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the information that will be necessary for its obligations on several aspects (SCoT, PLU, SRCE, etc.), all at once,
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Animation around biodiversity with the population and local actors.
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Local and national visibility of its eco-responsible action.
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An action that can be provided to him according to the characteristics of the territory and turnkey.
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A sensitive element for obtaining eco-responsible labels.
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Some benefits of doing an MBA
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The advantages of producing a municipality biodiversity atlas:
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locate potential areas of major interest for biodiversity, before launching projects and impact studies,
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engage the municipality in a labeling process (example: label biodiversity progress),
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engage the municipality in the “Territories committed to nature” program,
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display the territory's involvement in biodiversity and its eco-responsibility / display its territory as a credible player in biodiversity,
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display the quality of the territory and its aesthetics,
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attract a population and an economy sensitive to environmental issues,
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be one of the links in the chain of scientific knowledge on French biodiversity and its evolution,
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increase the value of the territory by becoming aware of its environmental heritage capital,
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mobilize residents around a unifying action,
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mobilize the actors of the territory around a major and historical dynamic,
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detect the presence or arrival of harmful invasive species.
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Benefits of a partnership with foresteam
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a single point of contact: Foresteam takes care of all the elements of the MBA. The municipality has only one interlocutor to simplify the process,
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open source tools: Foresteam will provide web communication media, inventory elements and cartography on media corresponding to open source standards. The commune will be fully independent in the future management of its Communal Biodiversity Atlas.
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state-of-the-art technologies: Foresteam may need to use state-of-the-art technologies such as environmental DNA to obtain the most exhaustive results possible and validated by a scientific protocol. Foresteam will involve the necessary experts and scientists according to the elements of interest.
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controlled data: all the data collected complies with the regulations in force.
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the search for financial partners: in the event of the municipality's incapacities, Foresteam can be mandated to find the necessary financial supplements.
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We offer municipalities a partnership that allows them to have a single point of contact to co-finance and produce their Municipal Biodiversity Atlas.
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FAQ
We have no control or access to companies for the financing of ecological projects.
Foresteam benefits from an economic network that brings together eco-responsible companies. We are part of an ecosystem that acts by taking into consideration the impact of our activities. Participation in large-scale programs such as the Atlas of Biodiversity is part of the evidence needed by companies that show a serious approach in favor of the environment.
Are the green and blue frames and sometimes very localized needs taken into account?
The MBAs take into account the environmental continuity that is integrated into the green and blue frames. Just as an MBA takes into account the areas of interest specific to the municipality and the particular sites that may arise.
An MBA takes into account the entire territory with its particularities, its points of particular interest and its strategic areas.
By carrying out an MBA, the municipality collects, in one operation, the often segmented elements that correspond to the regulatory environmental needs of the territory.
Are the aquatic and terrestrial environments taken into account?
A Municipality Biodiversity Atlas takes into account the entire territory, whatever its nature. Both aquatic and terrestrial environments are part of the elements of the inventory that is carried out.
We lack tools and networks of skills.
Foresteam is an environmental engineering office. Our job is to design solutions and manage complex projects. Our approach to the MBA is to provide all the solutions to carry out a mission according to the rules of art. Among the solutions we provide, there is the management of this type of project, the call for financial partners, the intervention of the experts necessary for the inventories, the use of advanced technologies, support for local events...
We have already carried out actions on the territory.
An MBA also takes into account the environmental actions that have already been carried out on the territory. These actions, such as protection zones (ZNIEFs, Natura 2000 zones, etc.), are added, as individual elements of a whole, in the overall approach of the Atlas.
With rare exceptions, the actions carried out on a territory take into account a restricted space. The Atlas takes into account the whole territory.
SCoT, PLU, PLUi and municipal maps: does the Atlas intervene on these subjects?
The Communality Biodiversity Atlas provides the necessary information related to the environment for the production of SCot, PLU, PLUi and communal maps.
It is a decision support tool.
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