Grande Briere. 01/02/95; Pays de la Loire; 19,000 ha; 47°22'N 002°10'W. Including Marais du bassin du Brivet Natural Regional Park, Hunting Reserves. Flat peatland, vast alluvial marshes, reedbeds, floodplains, stretches of open water and canals. This is the second largest French marsh after the Camargue. The site consists of open water supporting aquatic vegetation, reedbeds, inundated forests and floodplains. The marshland complex, exploited for peat extraction and grazing, has been abandoned over time, resulting in a significant colonization by moisture-loving vegetation (reeds, willows, elms) leading to a loss of biodiversity and a reduction in open water areas. An important site for numerous species of wintering and nesting waterbirds, the site is also very important for the Otter. Human activities include extensive livestock rearing and hunting, fishing, reed cutting for thatch, conservation education, and tourism. Ramsar site no. 713. Most recent RIS information: 1994.