Landévennec State Forest is located on the north coast of the Crozon peninsula, at the bottom of the harbor of Brest, near the mouth of the Aulne.
Covering a strip of coastal forest, in a landscape with very little forest, the Biological Integral Reserve (RBI) of Le Bois du Loch extend from a hundred meters of elevation gain from the shore. It covers a slope overlooking the sea, the edge of a plateau that opens onto farmland, and a forest valley through a small stream descending to the sea. The presence of a hiking trail and the view of the sea provides the reserve an undeniable tourist and landscape attraction.
The RBI Le Bois du Loc’h is the first one created in Brittany and in the reserve west of the entire network of biological reserves in mainland France. It remains one of the rare witnesses, in forest, of the original broadleaved forests of the Brittany coast. It covers an original variety of forest habitats, including an Atlantic beech grove that runs almost to the shore.
This State Forest is located on the north coast of the Crozon peninsula, at the bottom of the harbor of Brest, near the mouth of the Aulne. Covering a strip of coastal forest, in a landscape with very little forest, the Biological Integral Reserve (RBI) of Le Bois du Loch extend from a hundred meters of elevation gain from the shore. It covers a slope overlooking the sea, the edge of a plateau that opens onto farmland, and a forest valley through a small stream descending to the sea. The presence of a hiking trail and the view of the sea provides the reserve an undeniable tourist and landscape attraction.
Major Site Values & Outcomes
The RBI Le Bois du Loc’h remains one of the rare witnesses, in forest, of the original broadleaved forests of the Brittany coast. It covers an original variety of forest habitats, including an Atlantic beech grove. The limited natural range of these hyperatlantic variants of beech forests, reinforced by the extent of historical deforestation in the region, gives Loc’h Wood a real originality and makes it a unique site within the RBI network. The flagship species of the RBI du Bois du Loc’h is the very discreet Quimper Snail, which here finds the optimal ecological conditions of life, with fairly open undergrowth marked by blueberry. It is protected at national level and listed in Annexes 2 and 4 of the Habitats Directive.
Native deciduous woodlands on the seaward slope have not undergone any silvicultural intervention since the end of the Second World War. With this non-exploitation, and a level of renaturation, the Bois du Loc’h is a fairly unique reserve. Management consists mainly of scientific monitoring of the dynamics of forest stands left naturally. To prevent fauna-flora imbalances that would disrupt these dynamic processes, in the absence of natural predators, regulation of ungulate populations is maintained as part of the lease of the hunting lot. Small game hunting, especially woodcocks, is prohibited.
The governance practiced at the Integral Biological Reserve (RBI) du Bois du Loc’h is fair and the means implemented are transparent. The RBI was created according to a procedure stemming from the forest code. Rights holders and stakeholders are consulted. The reserve has a management advisory committee (consulted notably during the development of the current management plan) and whose composition is adaptable. The main values of natural heritage are well known, as are threats to the site, cultural values and the socio-economic context. The design of the reserve is appropriate. The choice of the type of status and the delimitation of the RBI are consistent with the issues. The RBI of le Bois du Loc’h ensures the conservation and development of the naturalness of a residual sample of deciduous forest on the Breton rocky coast. Although small and located in a suboptimal environment (in terms of level of anthropisation –human activities), it makes a unique contribution to the national network of RBIs.
Following the review of the application of the RBI of Le Bois du Loc’h, the EAGL welcomed the remarkable efforts of the team of managers for the conservation of the values of the site and underlined the quality and completeness of the application. On the basis of these elements, the members of the working group unanimously voted in favor of the inscription of the RBI of le Bois du Loc’h on the protected areas green list.
Reviewer Statement
Verification of the conformity of the necessary documents (conformance of format and form) and availability in COMPASS.
Conformity of process: Self assessment; Site visit program; Report of audit; Used of panorama and protected planet; Stakeholder feed-back; Action plans; EAGL decision, discussion, vote;
Verification of consistency of document dates
Verification of the independence of the EAGL evaluator / the candidate
Verification of good use of COMPASS Portal by EAGL
Verification of used of panorama and protected portal
First analysis done 05/07/2017 and final validation 20/10/2018
