Vallée du Sarthon et affluents

Vallée du Sarthon et affluents translated as Sarthon Valley and tributaries is a Natura 2000 conservation area that is 5,255 hectares in size.^[1]

Geography

The area is focused on the Sarthon river a tributary to the Sarthe river.^[1] The river flows from the Écouves forest massif creating alluvial plains.^[1]

It is spread across 12 different communes all within the departments of Orne and Mayenne;^[2]

1. La Ferrière-Bochard
2. Gandelain
3. Lalacelle
4. L'Orée-d'Écouves
5. Ravigny
6. La Roche-Mabile
7. Rouperroux
8. Saint-Céneri-le-Gérei
9. Saint-Denis-sur-Sarthon
10. Saint-Ellier-les-Bois
11. Saint-Nicolas-des-Bois
12. Saint-Pierre-des-Nids

Some of the protected site is within the Normandie-Maine Regional Natural Park.^[3]

Conservation

The conservation area has nine species listed in Annex 2 of the Habitats Directive;^[4]

1. Northern crested newt
2. Eurasian otter
3. European bullhead
4. Cottus perifretum
5. Brook lamprey
6. White-clawed crayfish
7. Southern damselfly
8. Marsh fritillary
9. Freshwater pearl mussel

In addition the Natura 2000 site has five habitats protected under the Habitats Directive.^[4]