Grand Rouveau Island, France
Protecting biodiversity for one of the Mediterranean’s small‑island refuges
LOCATION: Grand Rouveau Island, Var, France
THE WORK: Eliminating invasive mice, restoring native vegetation, strengthening seabird colonies, and protecting surrounding Posidonia seagrass meadows. PIM Initiative will build on previous restoration successes, including the removal of invasive rats and the plant Carpobrotus edulis.
To support the recovery of seabirds that connect land and sea, the team will install artificial nesting boxes and conduct annual sound‑playback programs targeting Scopoli’s shearwaters (Calonectris diomedea) and Yelkouan shearwaters (Puffinus yelkouan). Work is also underway to address erosion through transplanting native plants.
About Grand Rouveau
Grand Rouveau, located in the Var region of southern France, is one of the small Mediterranean islands where PIM Initiative has been leading hands‑on conservation and ecological restoration. As co‑manager of the island, the organization works to protect its biodiversity through concrete actions on the ground and by fostering a network of island managers and experts at the international level. Over the years, Grand Rouveau has benefited from major restoration efforts, including the successful removal of invasive black rats and the plant Carpobrotus edulis, which helped improve the island’s ecological condition.
(Pictured: Euleptes europaea, the European Leaf-toed Gecko. As it is a protected species, any handling is submitted to authorization.)
The island is also a potential home to important seabird species, including Scopoli’s and Yelkouan Shearwaters, whose nesting opportunities will expand through placement of artificial burrows and acoustic attraction programs. Offshore, the island is closely connected to the health of nearby Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows—critical carbon sinks and nursery habitats—which PIM Initiative seeks to protect.
Voices from the field
“Grand Rouveau island is an iconic site for the PIM Initiative association. As a refuge for exceptional biodiversity, it plays a central role in the interactions among environmental conservation stakeholders in the Mediterranean. It serves as a valuable pilot site for implementing new scientific protocols and innovative management approaches.”
— Jeanne Chaumont – Scientific Officer and Project Manager
Project Partners & Funders
• Commune of Six-Fours-les-Plages
• PIM Initiative
• Conservatoire du littoral
• Campus Nature Provence
• Région SUD
• Département du Var
• AGIR Ecologique
• Septentrion Environnement
• Office Francais de la Biodiversite