A camping site in the nature
Enjoy the quietness on the bank of the ponds

The camping site « Mina’s ponds » is situated in the middle of a « Natura 2000 » classed park where the faun and flora are protected to respect the nature.
It is situated in the center of Brouage marshland between Marennes and Cadeuil where the vegetation is luxuriant. More than 150 birds have been counted there.
 
All along the summer activities you will discover a lot of protected species: Otters, turtles, butterflies, dragonflies… and also some particular plants.
If you go rambling you will learn about the history of the park, sand pits, breeding...
The ponds are supplied with very clear source waters so everybody can have a look on the fish all along the bank.
 
This camping site offers 109 places which are distributed on seven hectares. So you can take advantage of the space and choose either the pond side where you will enjoy the quietness or the camping side where the atmosphere is warm.
It takes all sorts to make a world !
The places which are situated in the camping side will delight the holiday makers who like convivial atmosphere and meeting other people, activities, or having improvised aperitif.
The places next to the pond will satisfy the nature lovers, people looking for rest .
Only the ducks will come and cheer up their nap ! They will bring happiness to the children and their parents...

What is a pond?
There are many different ideas about what a pond is. For some, it is a pool with fish in a garden, a natural body of water in a meadow, while for others it does not represent anything specific. It would be interesting to ask the children to share their ideas, then give them the following definition:
A pond is a medium-sized body of stagnant water. The water is therefore more or less the same temperature throughout, regardless of depth. Ponds are generally fed by rainwater. They are home to a variety of plants and many animals.
 
Life in the pond
The pond is home to a large number of plant and animal species, most of which are rare and endangered.
There is more biodiversity in ponds than in other types of aquatic habitats (rivers, lakes, streams, ditches).
Animals depend on ponds for their livelihood, food and reproduction. Some of them live there all year round, others only for a few weeks.
Many plants are dependent on aquatic environments.
Adapted to water, for example through hollow stem systems, there are different groups:
- those with roots in the water and stems and leaves above water (reeds);
- those that are rooted at the bottom of the water and have floating leaves (water lilies);
- those that are completely submerged and rooted at the bottom of the water (pondweed);
- those that float on the surface of the water and are not rooted (duckweed).
 

Threats loom over ponds
The degradation and disappearance of these environments are the result of many factors:
- the intensification of agriculture, which tends to standardise our landscapes;
- increasing urbanisation of towns and the countryside;
- pollution (pesticides and/or fertilisers used on crops);
- illegal dumping;
- various works: filling, backfilling, land drainage;
- lack of legislation to protect ponds;
- natural silting and lack of maintenance.
 
What animals live in ponds?
Mammals: water shrews, beavers, bats.
Birds: herons, coots, mallards, great crested grebes, kingfishers.
Fish: carp, pike, tench, eels, rudd, stickleback, bleak. Insects: water striders, backswimmers, water boatmen, dragonflies, diving beetles, water scorpions.
Crustaceans: gammarus, crayfish. Spiders: dolomedes, tetragnathus.
Molluscs: paludina, zebra mussel, planorbidae, limnea.
Reptiles: European pond turtle, grass snake.
Many bats prey on the mosquitoes flying above the pond. Frogs and newts bathe in the summer to feed and, above all, to mate before returning to live in the forest. Many insects hunt their prey on the surface of the water, such as water striders (incorrectly called ‘water spiders’) and dragonflies, or below the surface, such as backswimmers. Pond snails and gammarids help to break down dead plants and animals.