Biodiversity and Citizen Science Platforms
During the 2020-2021 season, approximately 320,000 cranes were observed during their migration to the south. An impressive visual and sound show!
Winter migration, the great crossing
Famous for its imposing wingspan (up to 2 m), the Common crane is a migratory species that seeks the warmth of the south when autumn arrives in Europe. Thus, we can observe the first starts from Sweden in August, with stops in Germany and France, then a last stage towards Spain on a north-east/ south-west diagonal.
During their trip, a few thousand Cranes stop in the Champagne-Ardenne region and particulary in the Regional Natural Park of the Orient Forest. Among these individuals, some spend the winter there and return to their country of origin for the breeding season.
The importance of naturalist observation data
The “Forêt d’Orient” Regional Park has been classified as a nature reserve since 2002 and is an important observation point for professional and amateur birders. Access to the lake is forbidden to the public, to ensure the tranquility of the Cranes. On the other hand, a 10 km-long dam allows visitors to observe the species present.
It is possible to go to the lake for park officers and some Bird League volunteers during counting campaigns. These surveys carried out since 1983 by the LPO, allow to collect valuable data on the number of birds and their evolution over time.
This is the number of cranes counted in November 2021 within the nature reserve.
50 000
The best of technology for biodiversity
Information about the observations of Common cranes, and other species, within the Regional Park of “Forêt d’Orient” are available on the biodiversity observatory, which we had the pleasure of developing. This online platform is an essential tool for raising awareness and sharing knowledge. A veritable encyclopedia of living heritage, this observatory makes it possible to know the seasonality and the behaviour of each species and to make the best decisions in terms of protection.
To go further, we also developed “J'observe mon parc”, a platform for citizen participation. What better way to raise public awareness than through contribution in participation programmes on its territory?
There are already 136 observations on the program «the people of the lakes», with the presence of Common cranes, Great egrets and herons.
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