La lettre d'information du SMACOPI - Syndicat Mixte pour l'Aménagement de la Côte Picarde

	Planning in Coastal Picardy and in its hinterland : - New wave of planning initiatives in the towns of coastal Picardy d

	Managing the establishments : - Setting up a Bay of the Somme motorway service area – Improving the comfort of the Cap Hornu gîtes – Creation of a new managerial post at the Cap Hornuu

	Managing natural habitats : - Close links between the Conservatoire du Littoral (Coastal Conservatory) and the SMACOPI – End of the first phase of the works at the Bas-Champs farm - Briefly : Bay of the Somme, Rye Bay project – Water management - 1998, the year of management plans

	N° 12 - April 1998
	Further information

André Leduc, appraising a presidency

M. Leduc, you will soon retire, how do you look back on your presidency of the SMACOPI ?
After 28 years as a General Councillor for the Somme Department and more than 15 years as president of the SMACOPI, I would like to thank all those who over the past two decades have helped Coastal Picardy become an example of ecological and economic development.

Succeeding Max Lejeune as head of the SMACOPI, you presided over the destiny of a team. How did that work out ?
I had the privilege of knowing the SMACOPI as soon as it was created more than 20 years ago. The Mixed Syndicate for Coastal Management in Picardy was created at the behest of Max Lejeune whom I succeeded to in 1982. I would like to bear witness to the great worth and seriousness of the team surrounding the manager of the SMACOPI, whose initiative and spirit is always lively. I would also like to emphasise how encouraging it has been for the SMACOPI the permanent support of the Regional Council of Picardy, the President of the General Council of the Somme, and all my colleagues general councillors, the departmental services and the members of the SMACOPI’s managing committee.

What have been the Mixed Syndicate’s greatest achievements ?
The expressed aim for coastal Picardy, as was specified in the management scheme for coastal Picardy of 1975 has been to create a European tourist destination whilst still respecting the equilibrium of vast natural habitats. The first “contrat de plan Etat Région” (state-region management plan) signed in 1984 was followed a year later by the creation of an Aquatic park on the site of the towns of Quend/Fort-Mahon. With the help of various partners, we have over the years acquired large tracts of land for environmental conservation and in order to establish pre-emption areas to the benefit of the Coastal Conservatory. We have also build important tourism and leisure establishments which are complementary to the Marquenterre Bird Park and the Bay of the Somme little steam train, such as: the Maison de l’Oiseau, the Valloires Gardens, the Cap Hornu Residence, the Belle Dune Golf, all of which are managed by the SMACOPI. We do all the management from the simplest to the most important rehabilitation works of 13 sites, spread over 4 000 ha. The SMACOPI has also been working in close collaboration with local elected officials who have asked for assistance in their urban renovation plans.

How do you see the future ?
LThe road we followed has been remarkable, even if the journey is far from over as the Bay of the Somme and the shoreline will still cause many problems. I think the SMACOPI has played and will continue to play an important role in the development of Coastal Picardy. I would add that if it didn’t exist we would have to invent it!