Home to a rich and specific biodiversity, the banks of Lake Geneva are 𝐳𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞̀𝐜𝐞𝐬. Arthropods, amphibians, crustaceans, coots, herons and kingfishers all depend on these banks. They are the ideal place for exchanges between the natural banks and the water. In its natural state, the bank plunges regularly into the water, allowing 𝐫𝐞́𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐠𝐞̀𝐧𝐞 𝐝𝐞 𝐥𝐚 𝐛𝐢𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞́ the deeper it gets. When a bank is artificialised (eg: building a wall), this "gentle slope" is completely wiped out, which can lead to the reduction, degradation or even 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐝𝐞 𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞̀𝐜𝐞𝐬.
This represents a major ecological imbalance, as the natural exchanges between land and water cannot take place properly. This is known as 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐞 𝐝𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐞́ 𝐛𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞. Around Lake Geneva, 𝐥𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐭 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐬, representing approximately 26%. Of these, only 3 % are considered to be rich in biodiversity: river mouths and reedbeds are among them. 13% of the banks remain semi-natural, consisting of fields, crops, grassy strips, etc. Finally, 61% of the banks have been artificialised as a result of road building, housing and port development.
𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬- CIPEL: Study on leisure and recreation activities and infrastructures on the shores of Lake Geneva - CIPEL : Nautical leisure activities and infrastructures and the environment: what vision for Lake Geneva in the future? - LÉMANIQUES n°104: " And so we are always being pushed towards new shores "
