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French Alps now almost networked

Oct 01, 2014 / alpMedia
The French regions of Rhône-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur have for the first time enshrined migration routes for plants and animals in legislation – a first in the French mountains.
Image caption:
A road represents an obstacle to animals and plants. The French Alpine regions are improving ecological networks.© Rainer Sturm / pixelio.de

France wants to preserve its biodiversity by means of a matrix of ecological corridors, thus enabling the migration of plants and animals. The regions have to implement this policy via an appropriate planning instrument, the SRCE (Schéma Régional de Cohérence Ecologique). In Summer 2014 the Rhône-Alpes Region became one of the first regions in France to adopt such a binding strategy. The region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (PACA) is also close to adopting the law, which now needs the approval of the Regional Council and the Prefect. The public consultation required beforehand was completed in early Summer 2014. The two Alpine regions are thus one step ahead of France’s other mountain regions – the Pyrenees, Vosges, Jura and Massif Central – in terms of ecological networking.

The SRCE determines where ecological corridors in the region should run. Municipalities and others involved in land-use planning must take these into account,for example when building roads.

Source and further information: http://biodiversite.rhonealpes.fr/spip.php?rubrique64 (fr), http://www.rhone-alpes.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/le-schema-regional-de-coherence-r208.html (fr), http://www.paca.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/schema-regional-de-coherence-r349.html (fr)

Filed under: alpMedia 11/2014