Competence 2

Preserving the environment is a key aspect of the ecoguide, prompting us to take proactive steps in protecting nature. Understanding the consequences of human actions is crucial in order to mitigate any harmful effects.

As soon as I arrived in Toulon in august 2023, I volunteered my services to the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) cause. Indeed, during the 2023 summer, France encountered an unprecedented situation as at least 11 turtle nests were reported in southern cities such as St-Cyr-sur-mer where I was sent.
The mission involved  3 objectives : 

• Oftentimes, turtles would lay eggs on crowded beaches. Therefore, monitoring nests was essential in order to avoid people running over them as well as animals digging up. To maintain an ongoing surveillance, volunteers had to take turns every 6h, 24/7, during the whole incubation period, which often lasted over 60 days. In my case, I volunteered 11 accumulated days.
• The event was very much mediatized by local and national media, which attracted a large public. This was a great opportunity for us to raise awareness about the turtle cause and the undeniable climate change effects that could have affected the tendency for turtle to lay eggs in France. Personally I was able to interact with many people including children. As a result, I had to modulate my speech depending on the age range I was facing, as well as informing myself beforehand in order for me to be able to answer any question. 
• Finally, our last goal was to "assist" turtle younglings reaching the sea after the hatch. Indeed, a month after the laying, the volunteers, helped by Marineland experts such as Sidonie Catteau, set up "runways" for turtles to make it to the water safely. During the hatch, which lasted multiple days, our role was to monitor the turtles and count them.
  
  

During my studies in Lyon 1, we were asked, as groups, to identify the impact of urbanization, an anthropic phenomenon, on the water cycle. Indeed, asphalt waterproofing capabilities have detrimental effects on soil water absorption, water infiltration in water tables and water contamination. In addition, it can induce floods and water pipes saturation, which have a direct impact on us, humans.  In this context, Lyon and Lyon 1 University  are setting up solutions and our objective was to identify them and explain their role and how they benefit the water cycle. The pictures below present 3 of the solutions we encountered during our research : a porous parking lot, a small retention pond and grassy slabs.                                                            

To read the whole report, click down below 

Read the report ​​​​​​in french​​​​​​​​

Invasive exotic species can be problematic for endemic species. They are usually introduced in the new environment by humans intentionally or not. A species such as the Eucalyptus, tends to have a fast growth and inhibit endemic plants development because of the litter deposition around its area.