France adds 157,000 hectares of protected forests - Nature is facing pressure in many other countries
On Tuesday, June 9, authorities in France announced that they have created seven new biological reserves and expanded two existing ones. Together, they protect an additional 157,000 hectares of forest, while work is underway to place 10 percent of its land under 'strong protection' by 2030. "In concrete terms, this translates into less pressure on natural environments and stronger protection for species and habitats," said the French minister for ecological transition and biodiversity.
However, the vast majority of the protected area – about 99.5 percent of it – lies in a single reserve in French Guiana, France’s overseas territory in South America. New reserves in mainland France have been added by just 1,000 hectares.
The new protections encompass a wide range of landscapes. The new reserves will be left to evolve naturally without logging or other forms of exploitation, while others will be actively managed to protect vulnerable species and habitats, the minister said.
The expansion increases the amount of French territory under what the government calls 'strong protection' - areas where human activities are strictly limited to protect ecosystems. It also brings the number of biological reserves in France to 276. France's broader forestry goal is to put an additional 250,000 hectares of forest under protection by 2030.
Governments around the world are creating new protected areas as they work towards the goal of conserving 30 percent of the planet's land and sea by 2030 - what is known as the 30x30 target, a commitment agreed in 2022.
On World Environment Day - June 5 - UNESCO designated 14 new biosphere reserves in 11 countries, including sites in Italy, Mongolia, the Philippines, South Korea and Saudi Arabia. Scientists are sounding the alarm for Europe's forests, as 216,000 hectares are at risk.
The organization says biosphere reserves help protect biodiversity, supporting scientific research, education and sustainable development.
France aims to protect an additional 250,000 hectares of forest by 2030, including 180,000 hectares in French Guiana. From the tropical forests of French Guiana to ancient forests in eastern France, thousands of hectares of forest are getting new protections.
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