Marais Audomarois (France)

Covering some 22,300 hectares in the north or France, Marais Audomarois includes the city of art and history of Saint Omer and its wetland, a Ramsar site. There are more than 1,700 species of flora, birds and fungi in the Reserve. Together they account for more than one third of France’s aquatic diversity. The reserve has a permanent population of 69,000 residents and one of France’s two remaining wetland floating gardens. These gardens are characterized by a system of wateringues (water management units, or small canals) crucial for the prevention and management of floods. The reserve is also a highly valued place for leisure and tourism.