Jean Marie Guillon

 

The national park of Port-Cros was created by a decree of December 14th 1963, making it the second national park in France, after that of Vanoise. Apart from the island from which its takes its name (640 hectares / 1,580 acres), the Park of Port-Cros includes the islands of Bagaud, La Gabinière and Le Rascas, in other words part of the archipelago of the Hyères islands. Its originality is that it also includes what might be called a maritime belt, that is a protected area stretching 600 metres out into the sea (1 200 hectares or 3,000 acres).

Port Cros was saved from tourists and urbanisation soon after the First World War, thanks to the foresight of Madame and Monsieur Henry, owners of the Auberge provencale. Situated between Porquerolles, the biggest island used mainly for farming, and Le Levant, which acquired a certain notoriety with its nudist camp, Port Cros has become a very particular sort of haven. Its population is limited to a hamlet nestling near a creek and over-looked by the Fort du Moulin. Between 1925 and 1938 the poet Jules Supervieille used to spend a few quiet weeks there every summer, while Jean Paulhan, the head of the NRF publishing house, received the cream of French literature at Fort de la Vigie. Madame Henry, who had links with the National Society for the Protection of Nature, bequeathed the island to the French state to preserve its wild character. This film, made 12 years after the Park was created, reminds us of this role as protector, but also explains the importance of scientific activity and the Park's mission to make the public aware of the dangers threatening sea plants and animal life, in particular the sea grasses which are the lungs of the Mediterranean. This activity is coordinated by a committee of well-known people among whom were Commander Philippe Taillez and Professor Vicente who can be seen in this clip. It has produced many scientific publications.

A short while before this report, the Park expanded to include the island of Porquerolles (1 254 hectares / 3,100 acres). This acquisition made official in January 1971, poses new problems for the way the Park is managed since the island has 360 people living on it and is also a well-known tourist attraction, much more active than Port Cros. Since 1979 the Park has also been the site of the Conservatory of Mediterranean Flora, both wild and cultivated (approved as a National Botanical Conservatory in 1990)

 At Port-Cros and even more at Porquerolles, the Park tries to reconcile its mission to preserve, rehabilitate and study the natural surroundings with making people aware of those surroundings. The latter has led to a massive tourist and pleasure use potentially harmful for the environment the Park is trying to protect.

 

Bibliography

In addition to the many and varied scientific and eduational publications of the Park,

Jean-Pierre Brun dir., Les îles d'Hyères, fragments d'histoire, Arles, Acte Sud-Parc national de Port-Cros, 1997.

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