ABSTRACT
The idea of EARTHCARE was accepted and “regional natural parks” came to life with the decree of 1 March 1967. Behind the regional natural park is an original concept of EARTHCARE which promotes rural space in areas of varied size forming a whole with precise boundaries. Rural territories revived by the regional natural parks are exceptional because of their natural riches or their historic and artistic heritage, or because of their proximity to a town, offering city dwellers easy access to nature. Regional natural parks can only exist through the good will of the local inhabitants. While the procedures for creating a regional natural park are much simpler than those for creating a national park, certain rules, though they are not enforced by law, must be voluntarily respected. Integral to the mechanism for establishing reserves and parks in France is the importance of man and his fundamental and beneficent role in safeguarding nature.
