Final stage for mapping wild France

Wild Europe signed an agreement on 31st January 2020 to fund the third and final stage of this initiative title “CARTNAT” to identify and map actual and potential wild and wilderness areas. 

France: Mapping for a vision of true nature

The exercise is undertaken by IGN (Institut National de l’Information Géographique et Forestiere), Nantes University and the Wildland Research Institute at Leeds University

Phase 1 ending in October 2018 developed methodology appropriate to project objectives and geographic criteria.

Phase 2 ending in October 2019 mapped ten test sites, of which seven contain significant wild or even prospective wilderness areas. The remainder provided a context of different land uses.

Phase 3, now starting, will extend the exercise to remaining areas across France. Along with its partners IUCN France and WWF France, Wild Europe has provided funding for all three stages.

Supporting France’s wider strategy

The resulting map and related information will lay the basis for development of an overall strategy to protect and restore large natural ecosystem areas (wild and wilderness).

This in turn will support President Macron’s vision for 10% of France to be designated and protected as “haute naturalité” (literally translating as ‘wilderness’). It will also complement the local wild area restoration work undertaken by a growing network of organisations, such as PRELE: Programme Régionale d’Espaces en Libre Evolution