![\"\"](\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\"){kind=logo}
\n ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n
\n Published on
\n 11\/06\/2026 – 7:02 GMT+2\n <\/p>\n
From the rainforests of French Guiana to ancient woodlands in eastern France, thousands of hectares of forest are gaining new protections.<\/p>\n
\n ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n
\n ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n
On Tuesday 9 June, France said it has created seven new biological reserves and expanded two existing ones. Together, they safeguard an additional 157,000 hectares<\/a> of forest as it works toward placing 10 per cent of its land under \u2018strong protection\u2019 by 2030.<\/p>\n \u201cIn concrete terms, this translates into less pressure on natural environments and stronger protection for species and habitats,\u201d says Monique Barbut, France\u2019s minister for ecological transition, biodiversity and international climate and nature negotiations.<\/p>\n However, the vast majority of that land \u2013 around 99.5 per cent \u2013 lies in a single reserve in French Guiana, France\u2019s overseas territory in South America. The new reserves in metropolitan France collectively cover under 1,000 hectares.<\/p>\n What forests are being protected?<\/p>\n The new protections span a wide range of landscapes. <\/p>\n By far, the largest is the Armontabo Rocky Peaks integral reserve in French Guiana \u2013 a 156,290-hectare expanse of tropical rainforest and granite peaks that accounts for nearly all of the land announced. <\/p>\n The remaining eight reserves, spread across metropolitan France, range from the mountain forests of Bannes-Ravines in the Vosges to the Mediterranean woodlands of Pas de la Lauze in H\u00e9rault.<\/p>\n Other newly protected sites include the ancient forest of Buronni\u00e8res in Seine-et-Marne, the high-altitude forests of Chamali\u00e8re-Peyre-Ourse in Cantal and the ecologically rich forests of Chatte-Pendue in Bas-Rhin, Twins of Ornes and Vau des Loups in Meuse.<\/p>\n Several of 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 ministry says.<\/p>\n The expansion raises the share of French territory under what the government calls \u2018strong protection\u2019 \u2013 areas where human activities are tightly restricted to safeguard ecosystems \u2013 to 6.43 per cent. It also brings the number of France\u2019s biological reserves to 276.<\/p>\n France’s broader forestry<\/a> goal is to bring 250,000 additional hectares of forest under protection by 2030 \u2013 of which 180,000 hectares are earmarked for French Guiana.<\/p>\n A global push to protect nature<\/p>\n Governments around the world are creating new protected areas as they work towards a goal of conserving 30 per cent of the planet\u2019s land and sea by 2030 \u2013 what\u2019s known as the 30×30<\/a> target, a commitment agreed to in 2022.<\/p>\n On World Environment Day \u2013 5 June \u2013 UNESCO designated 14 new biosphere reserves<\/a>across 11 countries, including sites in Italy, Mongolia, the Philippines, South Korea and Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n That followed the addition of 26 new biosphere reserves across another 11 countries last year, which UNESCO described as part of an \u201cunprecedented expansion<\/a>\u201d of its global network.<\/p>\n The organisation says biosphere reserves help protect biodiversity while supporting scientific research, education and sustainable development. Together, they now cover hundreds of millions of hectares across more than 130 countries.<\/p>\n Protections are still being rolled back elsewhere<\/p>\n Not every country is moving in the same direction as France, though.<\/p>\n