TotalEnergies Foundation Contributes to the Restoration of a Wetland in Normandy

At HAROPA, Port du Havre, a non-hunting wetland located in the national nature reserve of the Seine estuary is home to many birds. Thanks to the support of TotalEnergies Foundation, new structures ensure their habitats remain protected while allowing the public to enjoy the site. 

Where the land meets the sea, the Seine estuary boasts a variety of wetland habitats (reed marshes, ponds, salt marshes, etc.), which are home to a remarkable array of fauna and flora. Each winter, egrets, northern shovelers, Eurasian teals, geese, shorebirds and more live near the water of the Hode reserve (covering 27 hectares). 

However, this area, located near the port and the industrial zone of Le Havre, is bordered by an old tarmac road containing PAHs*, which disturb the surrounding wildlife. Waste and old buildings are also found at the site. 

In order to ensure birds can settle here in a peaceful environment, Maison de l'Estuaire is working to clean up the area, create a landscaped embankment, replace exogenous poplars and cultivars (hybrid poplars) with local species and review its water system, in particular by installing a hydraulic structure that will avoid water waste. Lastly, observatories and information boards will be installed on a part of the old path to allow the public to visit and learn more about the site.

As part of its commitment in the Climate, Coastal Areas and Oceans focus area, and in particular the action area that aims to support field projects to preserve coastal and ocean ecosystems, the Foundation signed a new two-year sponsorship agreement in July to support these initiatives, which aim to restore the natural ecosystem near the Normandy refinery, at the heart of one of the Company’s host regions. 

*Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon