“Ever wonder who protects France’s natural treasures?” That is the role of the Office français de la biodiversité. It is dedicated to the protection of biodiversity. It also focuses on the restoration of biodiversity across France. This includes both mainland France and its overseas territories.
The Office français de la biodiversité operates under the supervision of two ministries. These are the Ministry of Ecological Transition and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food. The Office français de la biodiversité supports public policy implementation. This support spans knowledge sharing and the preservation of terrestrial environments. It also deals with aquatic and marine biodiversity management.
The Office français de la biodiversité develops knowledge and expertise. This covers all components of nature. It also encourages society’s involvement. It supports stakeholders in their preservation efforts.
The Office français de la biodiversité contributes to administrative tasks. It also helps with judicial policing related to nature. This includes biodiversity, water, wildlife, flora, and natural spaces. It also covers hunting and fishing regulations.
Concerning protected areas the Office français de la biodiversité manages marine natural parks. It also manages the Agoa sanctuary. This sanctuary protects marine mammals in the Antilles. The Office français de la biodiversité also oversees numerous wildlife reserves. It operates and facilitates Natura 2000 sites at sea. National parks are connected to the agency. Strong collaborations are in place with them.
The Office français de la biodiversité was created on January 1 2020. It resulted from the merger of two organizations. These were the ONCFS and the AFB. The ONCFS was the National Office for Hunting and Wildlife. The AFB was the French Agency for Biodiversity. The Office français de la biodiversité is a public administrative institution. It operates under the dual supervision of the Ministry of Ecology and the Ministry of Agriculture.
The Office français de la biodiversité contributes to developing public policy. This policy relates to biodiversity preservation. It also carries out policing duties. It provides scientific and technical knowledge about species. This covers environments and their uses in France and its overseas territories.
Regarding health the Office français de la biodiversité coordinates wildlife health monitoring. This is done through the SAGIR network. The office collects seizes and uses data from the network. It also contributes to research. This research includes epidemiological and ecotoxicological studies on wildlife species. It favors a comprehensive approach. This is also known as One Health. The office provides expertise in these fields.
The Office français de la biodiversité is involved in various working groups. Its experts participate in these groups. These groups relate to wildlife.