Ecological restoration

The EU's general introduction lays the conceptual foundations for ecological rehabilitation and restoration and the resilience of ecosystems and aquatic environments.
The concepts of ecological and hydrological continuity, river morphology and hydrogeomorphology are explained and illustrated.
A field trip provides an opportunity to analyze the issues at stake, establish operating hypotheses and assess impacts.
Practical exercises are preferably directly linked to the field.
The main tools and know-how for reintroducing species are presented and accompanied by illustrative practical exercises:
- Animal model practical exercise: reintroducing a population of vultures
- Plant model practical exercise: transplanting.
- TP ripisylve: and notion of turquoise screen
The main impacts of soil sealing and interventions on aquatic environments (maintenance and development) and the methods for assessing these impacts, accompanied by illustrative TP:
- TP loi sur l'eau: assessing the impacts of soil sealing and hydrological compensation.
- Hydrogeomorphological practical work: analysis of historical and current hydraulic continuity.
Last but not least, this course enables students to compare ecological and hydrological continuity, and to discuss ways of optimizing restoration.

- Understand the concepts and challenges of continuity and restoration.
- Know the main techniques for continuity analysis and ecological and hydrological restoration
- Apply know-how in species reintroduction and continuity impact assessment, cross-analysis of river morphology and ecological continuity
- Locate in situ the specific features of the terrain leading to ecological and hydrological discontinuities and dysfunctions at different scales
- Take a multidisciplinary look at the environment
- Identify sources of documentation relating to these issues and diagnostic methods.

The fundamentals of ecology and hydrology (to be found in the EU aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, for example).