FEDERATION DES PARCS NATURELS REGIONAUX DE FRANCE

Activity area: Reception of the public / Assistance to the visit, Administration, Cultural engineering / cultural tourism

The Regional Natural Parks were created at the initiative of the DATAR by a

decree of March 1, 1967 signed by General de Gaulle. They are the result of a

sharing of competence between the Regions that have the initiative and the State that

classifies them for 15 years by a decree signed by the Prime Minister, on the proposal

of the Minister in charge of the Environment. A Regional Natural Park is an

inhabited and accessible rural territory. It is recognized at the national level for its

strong heritage and landscape value, but also for its fragility.

A Regional Natural Park aims to protect

and enhance the natural, cultural and human heritage

of its territory by implementing an innovative

economic, social, cultural and landscape development policy that

respects the environment. It is managed by a joint union

bringing together all the communities that have approved the

Park charter. This union includes in particular the Region(s), the Department(s) concerned and

the municipalities that have adopted the charter. It works in

a broad consultation with local partners and

relies on the skills of its signatories.

“At the initiative of the Regions, within the framework of their

remit in terms of regional planning,

a Regional Natural Park aims to:

• protect landscapes and natural and cultural heritage, in particular through appropriate

management;

• contribute to regional planning; to economic, social and cultural

development and to the quality of life;

• to ensure the reception, education and information of the

public and to carry out experimental or exemplary actions in the areas cited above and

to contribute to research programs.”

Article R333-1 of the environmental code.

Association law 1901, the Federation of Regional Natural Parks of France is

the spokesperson and facilitator of the network of Regional Natural Parks. It

represents the collective interests of the Parks with national and international bodies, it participates in the definition and implementation of the

policy in favor of French rural areas. It is responsible for disseminating

and making known the ethics of the Regional Natural Parks and their actions, in

France and internationally. Its mission is to identify and share

the network’s best practices. The Federation of Parks is called upon to give

its opinion to the Minister in charge of the Environment for the classification and

renewal of the classification of a Park, every 15 years.