A Regional Nature Park is an inhabited rural area, recognized at a national level for its high heritage and landscape value, which organizes itself around a concerted project of sustainable development (*), based on the protection and valorisation of its heritage.

The area of a Regional Nature Park is classified by decree from the Prime Minister taken from a report from the Minister for the Environment, for a maximum duration of 10 years, renewable, depending on each case. It is managed by an independent organization, encompassing all the local authorities who have approved the Park Charter (see page 14)

(*) Sustainable development is "a development which responds to present needs, without compromising the capacity of future generations to respond to theirs" (definition from the report of the world commission on the Environment and Development - Commission G.H Brundtland – "Our common future"- 1987).
"To achieve a sustainable development, the protection of the environment must constitute an integral part of the development process and cannot be considered in isolation" – Principle 4 of the Declaration of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development – Rio de Janeiro – 1992

The initiative of the creation of a Regional Nature Park comes from the Regional Council.

The project of a Regional Nature Park is conceived in the largest possible consultation with the main players of the concerned area : local authorities, Regional Council(s), General Council(s), local communities- and the different partners. The agreement that is reached takes the form of a contract: the Park Charter.

This charter is submitted to a public enquiry (*).

After voluntary agreement by all the partners to the charter, the Region(s) concerned approve it and request the classification of the area as a ‘Regional Nature Park’ from the Minister for the Environment.

After consultation with the National Council for the Protection of Nature (CNPN), with the French Federation of the Regional Nature Parks and with other Ministries concerned (**), the Regional Nature Park is classified by a decree from the Prime Minister (for a duration of ten years, renewable) (***).

(*) Since the law of 13th December 2000 relating to solidarity and urban renewal (article 45).
(**) Ministries in charge of local authorities, finance and budgeting, regional planning, agriculture, urban development, industry, tourism and also other Ministries possibly concerned.
(***) A modification of the article l.333-1 of the Code for the Environment is in discussion at the moment. It could bring the validity of the charter and thus of the Park’s classification from 10 to 12 years.

A Regional Nature Park is an inhabited area, therefore totally accessible, respecting private property. It is under common law, like everywhere else. Without having specific regulatory capacity, it however assures the exemplary applications of the existing regulations within its area.

Nevertheless, certain sites of its area (Nature Reserves, environments or particularly fragile sites, etc.) can be subject, at the initiative of the Park, to conditions of access regulated by the State or the local authorities.

In the same way, certain practices (circulation of all terrain vehicles, flying zones, climbing...) can be regulated or forbidden by community by laws, in application of the Park charter.

The charter of a Regional Nature Park is the contract which affirms the project of protection and development of its area for 10 years, according to the situation (see page 7).

The charter defines the objectives to be reached, the orientation of the protection, valorisation and development of the Park, and also the measures that will allow their implementation. It assures the coherence and the coordination of the actions piloted within the area of the Park by the various public authorities.

It commits the local authorities of the area (communities and intercommunity structures), the department(s) and the region(s) concerned who have adopted it, and the State who approves it by decree.

The State however shows the commitment of its services to contribute to the implementation of the charter by the obligatory signing of a convention of application between the Prefect of the Region and the Park.

After the expiry date of the charter, a procedure of reclassification of the Park must be undertaken by the Region. This procedure is based on the revision of the charter by the Park, with regard to the outcome of its previous action, which allows the definition of a new project for the area and to request a new decree of classification.

Created in November 1971, the Federation of the Regional Nature Parks of France is the association of the Regional Nature Parks. Crucial tool of common action, it is charged with the representation of their interests before the administration, parliamentary assemblies and institutional organizations, and also with informing the public.

It is also a consultation structure with the Regions and the national partners of the action of the Parks, notably other French and European protected areas.

The Federation of the Regional Nature Parks of France encompasses three colleges of active members:

• the 1st college gathers all the existing Regional Nature Parks (3 representatives per Park) ,

• the 2nd college gathers the 18 Regions involved at this point

• the 3rd college gathers 22 national organizations for development, for the protection of cultural and natural heritage, and organizations of owners and managers of space, tourism, accommodation and induction and open air activities.

The Regional Nature Parks develop for the public a various range of quality activities :

• the discovery of their natural environment through their facilities or specific activities (centre for environmental education, discovery footpaths, themed training courses, etc.) , through a wide range of outdoor activities respecting the environment (hiking, bike touring, horse riding, canoeing, etc.) ,

• visiting cultural facilities (exhibitions, museums, Park ‘Visitor Centres’, etc.) and participating in cultural events and local festivities ,

• tourist products adapted to the fragility of their areas, and agri-food and art craft products from the local area ,

• the access to specific documentation (maps, hiking guides, calendar of events, etc.), notably in the Park ‘Visitor Centres’ and their information points.