Purpose of the association

The purpose of Societe des Amis de Navarrosse is: “protection and enhancement of the environment and the quality of life of the village of Navarrosse and its surrounding. These include the Lakes of the Landes area, Landes coastline as well as terrestrial and aquatic environments associated with these […] “ (excerpt from the statutes).

The principle underlying any action of our association is: “do not jeopardize the future for short-term benefits”.

Priority actions have been reminded and approved at the general meeting 2014: “For several years, the priority of the SAN is the preservation of the quality of the waters of the Lakes. This quality should allow practicing activities like: swimming, fishing and drinking water production. […] “The means to avoid a degradation are mainly the coastal Act, the SCOT, the 1930 law, the SAGE and the Natura2000 programme.”  

Actions and achievements

In line with the above priorities, the SAN is involved in the following commissions and programs:

    • Land use and water management plan (SAGE) of coastal lakes of Born and Buch areas, as well as the Local Commission of water (CLE). The corresponding area is formed approximately by all of the watersheds of the Landes Lakes. This plan notably defines the rules of protection of wetlands, the tidal necessary to the survival of riparian vegetation, but also the required protections throughout the watershed. The SAN, as a member of these commissions and of the office of the SAGE has a right to vote and is actively involved in preliminary discussions and thematic commissions.
 
    • Outline for territorial Coherence (SCOT) of the Born is intended to define land use policies for the next 15 to 20 years for a territory that is close to that of the SAGE. These guidelines will define, among others and in accordance with the rules defined by the SAGE, the policy of protection of the environment: protection of the watersheds of lakes, location of urbanization, sanitation systems sizing, coastal risk prevention… The role of the SAN is advisory but our association contributes to the work by proposals.
 
    • Natura2000 programme. At the initiative of the SAN, botanical surveys of patrimonial species, especially of the Bory quillwort (isoetes boryana), heaths of Portugal (erica lusitanica), a sundew (drosera intermedia) has been made. These inventories resulted in the drafting of the document “Contribution au classement en site d’intérêt communautaire de la zone L06, zone de l’arrière dune du pays de Born “. Cazaux-Sanguinet Lake as well as the Parentis Lake, are now included in full in the Natura2000 FR7200714 area. This classification allows the protection of wildlife and flora in the vicinity of the lakes and wetlands which have a major influence on the filtration of water. The SAN is involved in the work of this site as a designated member (partner).
 
    • Advisory commission for local public services (CCSPL). This commission focuses mainly on the drinking water supply of the towns of Biscarrosse, Gastes, Liposthey, Parentis en Born, Ste Eulalie en Born, Sanguinet, Ychoux. An important part of the water is provided by the Lake of Cazaux-Sanguinet. Treatments the water of the Lake must undergo to become drinking water are in relation with toxic or unwanted that the water may contain. The SAN, Member of the commission defends environmental protection and the implementation of controls and specific water treatment.

Other actions are carried out at the initiative of the SAN and always in direct relation with the priorities identified above.

    • Cyanobacteria (see specific document of the SAN). The problem of cyanobacteria (also called blue-green algae) differs from that of conventional pollutants. The proliferation of cyanobacteria has its origin in an excess of nutrients (nitrates and phosphates from mainly farms and sewage systems). These blooms, independently of their unpleasant appearance, can produce highly toxic substances: cyanotoxins (in about 50% of the blooms) resulting in the prohibition of bathing and impacting heavily drinking water production. The SAN is consequently interested in the detection of cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins and acquired the optical equipment for identification of potentially toxic species. The SAN is also a member of the Cyanobacterium monitoring group set up by the CDCGL (community of communes of the Great Lakes).
 
    • Satellite imaging (see specific document of the SAN). The SAN works at the exploitation of satellite data, essentially those of the MODIS satellite whose spectrometric data are provided free of charge. Our role is to assess the potential of these techniques widely used in Canada, in the Baltic Sea… but not, to our knowledge, for inland waters in France.
 
    • Independent samples of water and fish analyses. We have conducted bacteriological analyses (E. Coli), research of heavy metals, PCBs and dioxins in the flesh of fish. These have revealed a disturbing mercury content. Unfortunately the high cost of most of these analyses (compared to our financial means) requires us to limit ourselves to few measurements.
 
    • Coastal law. The coastal Act clearly aims to protect the close environment of maritime coastline but also of large bodies of water such as lakes landais. The respect of this law is therefore important to ensure the moderation of urbanization of the edges of Lakes generating pollution.