点评:We visited the Baie de Somme both with an experienced guide and returned another day to appreciate its transformation between tides. The guided experience was mostly focused on viewing the two types of seals that rest on sandbanks here during low tides, the veaux-marins and the gris. We viewed them at a distance through scopes, so it was quite upsetting to see a party of tourist canoes approach close enough to force them, including juveniles, to enter the water, which saps their energy and is strongly discouraged. Unfortunately, all the 'Grand Sites' in France that we've visited are (overly, I believe) geared up for mass tourism, and nature will of course suffer. It was an umissable experience, but there's another side to nature conservation and recovery in France for which we saw evidence. Near the Hourdel lighthouse we saw 'Somme Nature' slogans (a local nature organisation) spray-painted on the pavements with a large red cross through them, likely a show of disapproval by farmers, hunters, fisherman, etc. We found this quite disturbing. Never has there been a greater need for nature restoration around the bay. It used to be twice as large, but was banked in places to allow agriculture. The agriculture inland consists of endless fields of maize, with hardly a tree or hedge in sight, so virtually no wild plants or animals can thrive. The bay as it is is still magnificent, and we would visit it again, but I feel sorry for the naturalists working here. It must be an uphill struggle to preserve and increase biodiversity.
翻译:我们和一位经验丰富的导游一起游览了索姆湾,后来又在另一天回来欣赏潮汐之间的变化。导游的体验主要集中在观看低潮时栖息在沙洲上的两种海豹,即沃马林海豹和格里海豹。我们通过望远镜远远地观察它们,所以看到一群旅游独木舟靠得足够近,迫使它们(包括幼年海豹)下水,这令人非常沮丧,因为这会消耗它们的体力,因此我们强烈反对这样做。不幸的是,我们参观过的法国所有“大景点”都(我认为过于)为大众旅游做好了准备,自然当然会受到影响。这是一次不可错过的体验,但我们看到了法国自然保护和恢复的另一面。在 Hourdel 灯塔附近,我们看到人行道上喷涂着“Somme Nature”(当地自然组织)的标语,中间有一个大红十字,这很可能是农民、猎人、渔民等表示反对。我们觉得这很令人不安。海湾周围的自然环境恢复需求从未如此强烈。海湾曾经是现在的两倍大,但在某些地方被围起来以允许农业。内陆的农业区包括无边无际的玉米田,几乎看不到一棵树或树篱,因此几乎没有野生动植物可以繁衍生息。海湾现在仍然很壮丽,我们会再次造访,但我为在这里工作的博物学家感到难过。保护和增加生物多样性肯定是一场艰苦的斗争。