The Historical and Current Role of the Nature Reserves Network in Preserving Geoheritage in France

Nature reserves in France, along with national parks and biological reserves, are one of the main tools for strong environmental protection. Nature reserve status was officially introduced in France by a law in 1957 and the first nature reserve was subsequently created in 1961 in the Alps. Since 1982, nature reserves are connected nationwide within the network of the Réserves Naturelles de France (RNF). The RNF members have played a significant role in the recognition and protection of geoheritage in France which has notably resulted in the establishment of nature reserves based on geological criteria and the creation in 1986 of a specific working group: the Geological Heritage Commission. The French geological reserves encompass a diversity of geological objects, including stratotypes, major paleontological and mineralogic sites, exceptional metamorphic, volcanic or geomorphologic sites, and outcrops of historical significance. Over time, RNF, alongside its collaborative partners, has been actively engaged in the protection, management, and recognition of geoheritage inside the French network of nature reserves and beyond. Despite these efforts, broader recognition of concepts like geodiversity and geological heritage remains somewhat limited, even within environmental protection organizations.