Conservatoire du littoral
Encyclopedia
The Conservatoire du littoral ("Coastal protection agency" ) (official name: Conservatoire de l'espace littoral et des rivages lacustres) is a French
public organisation created in 1975 to ensure the protection of outstanding natural areas on the coast, banks of lakes and stretches of water of 10 square kilometres or more. The Conservatoire is a member of the World Conservation Union
.
Its creation was inspired by the work of the British
National Trust
, though the National Trust is a private charity, whereas the Conservatoire du littoral is mainly government funded.
Its remit covers all French départements, départements d'outre-mer
, Mayotte
, and, recently, Saint-Pierre and Miquelon
.
The Conservatoire acquires land by private agreement, by pre-emption in or, from time to time, by expropriation. Land may also be given to the Conservatoire by donation or legacy. The Conservatoire acquires 20 to 30 km² of land yearly.
After ensuring all the restoration work, the Conservatoire entrusts the management of its lands to local authorities or other local groups or organisations. The Conservatoire uses specialists to decide how the sites should be managed and what activities (such as agricultural or recreational activities) can take place.
As at 31 January 2005, the Conservatoire cared for an area of 732 km² spread over 300 sites, for 861 km of shoreline. Le Conservatoire du littoral owns 660 km, or 12%, of French seacoast (the objective is to reach 1/3).
Its annual budget is approximately €30 million, €25 M of which is earmarked for acquisitions and development. Most of its budget is provided by the national government, but local authorities and the European Union
also contribute, as do corporations and private donors.
The Conservatoire national du littoral employs 100 people in Rochefort, in Paris
, and in its regional offices.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
public organisation created in 1975 to ensure the protection of outstanding natural areas on the coast, banks of lakes and stretches of water of 10 square kilometres or more. The Conservatoire is a member of the World Conservation Union
World Conservation Union
The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources is an international organization dedicated to finding "pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges." The organization publishes the IUCN Red List, compiling information from a network of...
.
Its creation was inspired by the work of the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
, though the National Trust is a private charity, whereas the Conservatoire du littoral is mainly government funded.
Its remit covers all French départements, départements d'outre-mer
Département d'outre-mer
An overseas department is a department of France that is outside metropolitan France. They have the same political status as metropolitan departments. As integral parts of France and the European Union, overseas departments are represented in the National Assembly, Senate, and Economic and Social...
, Mayotte
Mayotte
Mayotte is an overseas department and region of France consisting of a main island, Grande-Terre , a smaller island, Petite-Terre , and several islets around these two. The archipelago is located in the northern Mozambique Channel in the Indian Ocean, namely between northwestern Madagascar and...
, and, recently, Saint-Pierre and Miquelon
Saint-Pierre and Miquelon
Saint Pierre and Miquelon is a self-governing territorial overseas collectivity of France. It is the only remnant of the former colonial empire of New France that remains under French control....
.
The Conservatoire acquires land by private agreement, by pre-emption in or, from time to time, by expropriation. Land may also be given to the Conservatoire by donation or legacy. The Conservatoire acquires 20 to 30 km² of land yearly.
After ensuring all the restoration work, the Conservatoire entrusts the management of its lands to local authorities or other local groups or organisations. The Conservatoire uses specialists to decide how the sites should be managed and what activities (such as agricultural or recreational activities) can take place.
As at 31 January 2005, the Conservatoire cared for an area of 732 km² spread over 300 sites, for 861 km of shoreline. Le Conservatoire du littoral owns 660 km, or 12%, of French seacoast (the objective is to reach 1/3).
Its annual budget is approximately €30 million, €25 M of which is earmarked for acquisitions and development. Most of its budget is provided by the national government, but local authorities and the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
also contribute, as do corporations and private donors.
The Conservatoire national du littoral employs 100 people in Rochefort, in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, and in its regional offices.
See also
- The National TrustNational Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural BeautyThe National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
- Conservatoria delle Coste della SardegnaConservatoria delle CosteThe Conservatoria delle Coste is a Sardinian public agency created by the Regional Law N°2 of the 29th of May 2007, to ensure the protection of outstanding natural areas on the Sardinian coast.Its creation was inspired...
External links
- Conservatoire du littoral (in FrenchFrench languageFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
)