The future National park creeks |
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Collection title
JT soir Marseille
First broadcast date
05/04/2009
Abstract
The Prime Minister François Fillon signed the decree that defines the perimeter of the Calanques National Park. It will be the first, both marine and land, periurban park in Europe, since located at 80% in the commune of Marseille. It will cover almost 13000 hectares and will extend 5 miles from the coast, from the Frioul archipelago to the Cap Canaille. Traffic wil be prohibited unless exemption and the rules of environmental protection will be strengthened for hikers, divers, boaters and owners of huts.
To preserve the eighty rare plant species and the twenty five species of protected birds, a membership area will be created encompassing thirteen municipalities (which, for the most, refuse to join the project for fear of constraints that would affect them).
Production companies
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France 3 - Own production
Primary theme
Protection of Natural environments
Secondary themes
- Tourism and cultural sites / Eco-tourism development
Credits / Cast
- Papin Robert - Journalist
Map locations
- France - South East - Marseille
Context
Mediterranean Landmarks
The creation of the national Park of the Calanques had just taken a decisive step with the validation of its perimeter by the head of government. Like all national parks, it will include a highly protected central zone, including both land and sea, and and a peripheral zone where human activities will continue especially that it is located in an urban environment. Mainly located in Marseille, this park would be the first peri-urban park in Europe. It will cover 11,200 hectares of land and 48,000 hectares of sea, relative to 5 cities: Marseille, Cassis, Ciotat, Ceyreste and Roquefort-la-Bédoule. It includes the islands off the coast of Marseille; the Chateau d'If and the archipelago of Friuli.
The stunning location of the Calanques between Marseille and Cassis had long been a privileged site for hiking, climbing (this is where Gaston Rebuffat made his debut), sailing, diving, photography and nature observation. The Cosquer cave discovered in 1985 is located in the area. Since the dawn of the 20th century, many associations had been campaigning in favor of its protection beginning with the Société des Excursionnistes marseillais (Hikers Society of Marseille) founded in 1897. This association alongside the Nautical Society of Marseille organized a protest in 1910 against the installation of a quarry that would distort the landscape in Port-Miou. Already in 1923, the vice-president of the "hickers", Dr. Poucel, a well-known botanist published a book entitled "The Calanques at Risk", and in the same year created the Calanques' Defense Committee. The Committee encouraged Marseille's municipal council to initiate expropriation on a 100-meter strip stretching by the along a shoreline that was beginning to be threatened. On the 31st of July 1936, the Calanques in En-Vau and Port-Miou were classified as natural sites. Under the influence of associations, still, the government classified the terrestrial (5,585 ha) and aquatic area (2,209 ha) of the Calanques as protected in 1975-1976 and the the site was eligible for the Natura 2000 program in 1996.
The origins of the national Park go far back but its specific project was supported by the public interest grouping (GIP) of the Calanques, created in 1999. It is chaired by the by the deputy mayor of the 10th arrondissement, Guy Tessier, and enjoys the support of Jean-Pierre Giran, MP of Hyères (where the National Park of Port-Cros is located) and the president of the National Parks of France.
The national park that was supposed to open in 2011 and will be responsible for putting in place a fire prevention and protection program, the protection of fauna and flora, improving reception of the visitors who will continue to have access to the center of the park, and implementing educational activities aimed at different audiences. The preparation of the project resulted in many meetings with local stakeholders in order to explain and defuse the fears of fishermen who were against the creation of total ban areas. The park's charter was adopted in 2010. Many municipalities concerned by the peripheral area were reluctant to enter the park fearing constraints in the field of urbanization. It is the case of Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer in the Var region, whose territories are situated in the future park. This municipality witnessed many constructions in recent years and preferred in 2010 to turn to the project of the Regional Park Sainte-Baume; less relevant to its environment and coastline, but also much less restrictive. This same issue is dividing municipalities concerned with the expansion of the National Park of Port-Cros, located in the highly coveted Var coast. The National Park of the Calanques will be the fourth National Park in a region which is, other than Port-Cros created in 1963, a considerable part of the Ecrins (1973) in the Hautes-Alpes and the Mercantour (1979), located between the Alpes-Maritimes and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence.
