Abstract
Wetlands provide essential goods and services. Their preservation and sustainable management is in the public interest. However, stakeholders in the French Overseas Departments and Regions (DROM) - Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Reunion, Martinique and Mayotte - do not have an interministerial decree identifying and delimiting wetlands to implement the regulations. A project included in the 4th national wetlands plan 2022-2026 was initiated in 2022 to define protocols and reference lists. An R&D approach was therefore deployed with institutional, scientific and technical partners in the regions. During the first phase of the project, scientific bibliography and expertise were mobilized to develop a prototype of protocols and reference lists. A literature review was carried out to take into account the diversity of ecological contexts and knowledge acquired on wetlands in French overseas departments and territories.The second phase consisted in testing the prototypes with the technical audience to whom the protocols and reference lists had been sent, and with specialists. These tests took place at 129 sites, with 466 surveys of habitats, plant species and soils in a wide variety of wetlands.The final phase involved finalizing a protocol common to all DROMs and reference lists specific to each DROM, incorporating the critical feedback received. The protocol and the reference lists of “habitats”, “plant species” and “soils” have proved to be practical and robust. The risks of under-detection (not detecting wetlands that are present) and above all over-detection (detecting wetlands where none exist) are minimal.The results of this project are set out in 5 Fascicules. The last Fascicule contains the list of plant species, habitats and soils characteristic of wetlands by DROM.After consultation with local and national bodies, the protocol and reference lists are intended to be formalized by an interministerial decree co-signed by the Ministries in charge of Ecological Transition, Overseas France and Agriculture; equivalent to the decree that exists in mainland France. The protocols and reference lists are designed to be implemented by agents in design offices, government departments, public establishments... Following the information campaigns carried out during the project with the technical players concerned, teaching aids will be designed to promote effective appropriation of the protocol and reference lists in the field.This project has made it possible to continue investing in wetlands in the French overseas departments and territories.The results operationalize the regulations in force, and promote wetland preservation and legal equity throughout France.This contribution paves the way for further work suggested in the Fascicules.