ECOP
ECOP : Coastal Evolution and Practices (Évolution des CÔtes et des Pratiques) comprises two research units :
The Observatory of Tourism and Leisure Practices (head : L. Vacher)
Coastal Evolution (head : E. Chaumillon)
OBSERVATORY OF TOURISM AND LEISURE PRACTICES
(HEAD : L. VACHER)
Participants : D. Amiaud, L. Beretti, C. Blondy, V. Duvat-Magnan, L. Marrou, C. Parrain, F. Pouget, L. Vacher, D. Vye
Established in 2007, the Observatory of Tourism and Leisure Practices aims to generate knowledge about coastal and maritime activities to support decision-making. Its work focuses on two areas where Marine Natural Parks are being established : the Pertuis archipelago (the islands of Ré and Oléron) on France’s Atlantic coast, and the French overseas department of Mayotte.
Its objectives are, firstly, to characterize, understand and better define these practices and how they evolve (fundamental research) and, secondly, to provide local and regional authorities with information to support decision-making on issues relating to environmental protection, urban development, land-use planning and coastal management.
The data collected are made available to coastal stakeholders and are intended to feed into the GIS services of partner local authorities, including the La Rochelle urban community, the municipalities of the islands of Ré and Oléron, and the Marennes-Oléron regional authority.
The Observatory’s work contributes to territorial assessments at a particularly strategic time :
On Ré : ongoing revision of the territorial coherence scheme (SCOT) ;
On Oléron : the integrated coastal zone management policy is entering its operational phase through the Oléron Qualité Littoral initiative (Beach Plan) ;
At the level of the La Rochelle urban community (CDA) : completion of the SCOT ;
At regional level and over the longer term : establishment, in April 2009, of the study mission for the Marine Natural Park of the Gironde Estuary and the Pertuis Sea.
The Observatory focuses on urban sprawl, mobility and residential patterns, tourism and leisure practices, beach quality, and land-based and maritime territoriality.
[Observatory website :] Observatory of Tourism and Leisure Practices
COASTAL EVOLUTION
(HEAD : E. CHAUMILLON)
This research examines coastal defence strategies, including the technical solutions implemented at municipal level, how these solutions evolve, comparisons between the strategies of neighbouring municipalities, and the relationships between the extent of coastal retreat and the associated stakes, on the one hand, and public intervention, on the other. This approach will make it possible to assess the consistency and progress of risk management policies.
Correlation between coastal morphological changes and the regional wave climate
(Head : Eric Chaumillon – in collaboration with the Charente-Maritime Departmental Council)
Predictions of significant wave height, in metres, shown at three-hour intervals (blue curve) and averaged monthly (red curve) from January 1998 to April 2008 off the island of Oléron (2.5°W, 46°N), using the WaveWatch III model (Tolman, 1991). In addition to the clear seasonal variations, this graph highlights the strong interannual variability in the wave climate along the Charente coastline.
Beach-perpendicular topographic profiles measured on the island of Oléron (Saint-Trojan, Grande Plage) between September 1999 and September 2007. These profiles illustrate erosion rates averaging between 5 and 24 m per year.
Compilation of a database on the Charente coastline : HISTOLITTO (head : F. Pouget)
HISTOLITTO is a geohistorical database documenting changes in the coastline and land use over time. It currently contains more than 800 maps and plans spanning five centuries of history, 100 of which have already been georeferenced. It also includes archaeological data (the PATRIARCHE database), elevation data (the national BD TOPO database acquired, new radar digital terrain models with a 5 m grid spacing from NEXTMAP currently being tested, and LiDAR data with a 1 m grid spacing).
The database also incorporates reference datasets, including those produced by the French National Institute of Geographic and Forest Information (IGN : BD TOPO, Scan 25), the French Geological Survey (BRGM : maps) and the French Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service (SHOM : bathymetry).
Following the data collection work initiated in 2008, the year 2009 made it possible to :
(1) Integrate additional data into the database ;
(2) Organize and structure the data to enable the production of analyses ;
(3) Organize meetings to present the database to its users and potential contributors.
In 2010, a tool enabling researchers to access these data was scheduled to be developed.