France
Site name
Kéronçel–Locarn, Brittany
Size/type
The whole 'Landes de Locarn' is a mosaic of heathland, peatbogs, wet grassland and woodland covering 350ha in the south-west of the Côtes d’Armor Department. Peatlands cover around 30ha, scattered in three places. Core area for LEADER+ work is the 6ha peatland of Kéronçel, on a slope in the middle of the site.
Ownership/management
GFA (Groupement Forestier de L’Argoat) and private (François Le Merrer). Whole site is managed by a local association, Cicindèle.
Key wildlife
Nationally and locally protected plants, including sundews Drosera spp., butterwort Pinguicula lusitanica, white-beaked sedge Rhynchospora alba. Amphibians include Natterjack toad Bufo calamita and midwife toad Alyte obstetricans. Hen harrier Circus cyaneus, otter Lutra lutra and nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus use the site.
Previous use/cultural relevance
Since the Middle Ages, cutting of heathland vegetation every 5-8 years to use as bedding for cattle and horses. Small-scale grazing and peat extraction. No agricultural use since 1960 due to modernisation of farming. Grazing was resumed in 2003, through agreement with Cicindèle, to help maintain the value of the heathland for wildlife.
Visitor use before the project
More than 10,000 people each year to whole Landes de Locarn. No public access in Kéronçel, though main public footpath close. Around 200-300 visitors per year to Corong peatbog.
Aim of LEADER+ work
Raise awareness, particularly in young people, of the area's peatland interest and the work needed to preserve it.
To use and experiment with different structures and methods of providing access to a peatbog that has sensitive vegetation and low carrying capacity.
Potential for at least 3,000 visitors per year, but objective not to bring a lot more people to Locarn but to open a new part of the site for public access.
Illustrations:
