A new biodiversity reserve: the Crau du Piboulon

Thanks in part to the work of Thierry Dutoit, director of research at CNRS at IMBE, La Crau du Piboulon, located between Alleins and Mallemort, has become the first biodiversity reserve in the Aix-Provence-Marseille Metropolitan Area.

Thierry and his colleagues (Hervé Ramone, Daniel Pavon, Elise Buisson, Anouk Courtial) discovered over 90 plant species in an area of 100 m², and counted a dozen orchid species, including Anacamptis coriophora subsp. fragransand two protected species, Serapias parviflora and Ophrys provincialis.

A fine example of how avoidance in advance is better than compensation and restoration in retrospect to conserve exceptional natural areas!

Read the Provence article on the Crau du Piboulon here