Landes de Gascogne Regional Natural Park (

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

: ''Parc naturel régional des Landes de Gascogne'') is a

protected area Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...

of pine forest, wetland and oceanic coastline located in the

Landes de Gascogne The Landes de Gascogne (in Gascon, classic spelling ''las Lanas de Gasconha'', Fébusienne spelling ''leus Lanes de Gascougne''), or Gascony Moors, is a natural region of France of nearly . It extends over three departments: Gironde, Landes and ...

natural region of

Nouvelle-Aquitaine Nouvelle-Aquitaine (; oc, Nòva Aquitània or ; eu, Akitania Berria; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Novéle-Aguiéne'') is the largest administrative region in France, spanning the west and southwest of the mainland. The region was created by ...

in southwestern

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

History

The lands comprising the park were largely unpopulated throughout history. The roughly triangular area of the modern-day park was originally an inland sea which had receded, leaving a mostly infertile depression which did not attract human habitation. Largescale public works helped drain, clear, and reforest the area during the nineteenth century but the transformation was limited. By the mid-twentieth century, government attention had turned to protecting the natural environment.

Geography

Straddling the

departments Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Government and military *Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...

Landes ''Landes'', or ''Lanas'' in Gascon, means moorland or heath. ''Landes'' and ''Lanas'' come from the Latin ''plānus'' meaning “‘flat, even, level, plain’”. They are therefore cognate with the English plain (and plane), the Spanish word ''l ...

and

Gironde Gironde ( US usually, , ; oc, Gironda, ) is the largest department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of Southwestern France. Named after the Gironde estuary, a major waterway, its prefecture is Bordeaux. In 2019, it had a population of 1,6 ...

, ''Parc naturel régional des Landes de Gascogne'' comprises the center of the massive forest of Landes. The park extends southeast from Arcachon Bay in

Pays de Buch Pays de Buch (, literally ''Land of Buch'') is one of several areas that make up the Landes forest in France. It extends across seventeen towns around the Arcachon Bay and the valley of the Eyre River. The village of Porge is at the north end ...

and encompasses the entire Leyre River. The park was originally conceived in 1970 with a total area of , but has been increased to a modern total area of 315,300 hectares. As of 2011, the park holds 41 small

communes An intentional community is a voluntary residential community which is designed to have a high degree of social cohesion and teamwork from the start. The members of an intentional community typically hold a common social, political, relig ...

with approximately 60,000 inhabitants.

Member communes

The forty-one member communes are: * Argelouse *

Audenge Audenge (; oc, Audenja) is a commune in the Gironde department in southwestern France. Geography The town is situated on the Arcachon Bay (''Bassin d'Arcachon''), between Lanton, Biganos and Marcheprime. Population Inhabitants of Audenge a ...

* Belhade * Belin-Beliet *

Biganos Biganos (; oc, Viganòs) is a commune in the Gironde department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. This commune has two harbours. Population See also *Communes of the Gironde department *Parc naturel régional des Landes de Gasco ...

* Bourideys * Brocas * Callen * Captieux * Commensacq * Garein * Hostens * Labouheyre * Labrit * Le Barp * Lencouacq * Le Teich * Le Tuzan * Le Sen *

Louchats Louchats (; oc-gsc, Loishats) is a commune in the Gironde department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. Population See also *Communes of the Gironde department The following is a list of the 535 communes of the Gironde depart ...

* Lucmau * Luglon * Lugos * Luxey *

Mano Mano may refer to: People * Mano people, an ethnic group in Liberia * Mano (name), a list of people with either the given name or surname * Mano (Mozambican footballer) (born 1984), real name Celso Halilo de Abdul * Mano (Portuguese footballer) (b ...

Marcheprime Marcheprime (; oc, Marcha Prima) is a commune in the Gironde department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. Population See also *Communes of the Gironde department The following is a list of the 535 communes of the Gironde depa ...

Mios Mios (; oc-gsc, Miòs) is a commune in the Gironde department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. Population Its inhabitants are called ''Miossais''. Sights The Saint Brice chapel has a bell dating from 1700 classed as a '' monumen ...

* Moustey *

Muret Muret (; in Gascon Occitan ''Murèth'') is a commune in the Haute-Garonne department, of which it is a subprefecture, in the Occitanie region of southwestern France. Its inhabitants are called ''Muretains''. It is an outer suburb of the ...

* Origne * Pissos *

Sabres A sabre is a type of sword. Sabre, Sabres, saber, or SABRE may also refer to: Weapons and weapon systems * Sabre (fencing), a sporting sword * Sabre (tank), a modern British armoured reconnaissance vehicle * Chinese sabre or ''dao'', a variety ...

* Salles * Saint-Léger-de-Balson *

Saint-Magne Saint-Magne (; oc-gsc, Sent Manhe) is a commune in the Gironde department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. Population See also *Communes of the Gironde department *Parc naturel régional des Landes de Gascogne Landes de Ga ...

* Saint-Symphorien * Saugnacq-et-Muret * Solférino * Sore * Trensacq *

Vert Vert or Verts may refer to: * Vert (heraldry), the colour green in heraldry * Vert (music producer) (born 1972), pseudonym of Adam Butler, an English music producer * Vert (river), in southern France * Vert (sport), a competition in extreme versi ...

Major features

The park maintains a bird sanctuary on Arcachon Bay, the ''parc ornithologique du Teich''. Throughout the year, over 300,000 migratory birds take refuge in its wetlands. At several sites throughout the park, there are sections of the regional museum, ''Ḗcomusée de la Grande Lande'', which host exhibitions about the history, development and maintenance of the natural lands. The museum also organizes various events focused on Gascon lifestyles and traditions. The local villages also organize their own events. Thousands of visitors come every year to the Flower Show at Garein, an annual weekend event which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2010.

Administration

The park is administered by a joint union of local authorities in the ''Syndicat Mixte du Parc Naturel Régional des Landes de Gascogne'', a deliberative assembly of 45 members. The union includes public and private representatives of Gironde, Landes, and Aquitaine.

Park emblem

The park's unique emblem is derived from a woodcut, still visible today, made on the beam of an old building in Luxey. The scene depicts a leaping fox frustrated in its hunt: a solid horizontal line separates him from the hen who strolls serenely in the sun. The situation was a familiar one in the Gascony moors where generations of farmers built their livestock shelters on stilts.

References

External links

Official park site

French Ministry of Agriculture: ''Report on Landes de Gascogne 1998-1999-2000 and effects of the storm of 27/12/1999''
{{Authority control Regional natural parks of France Geography of Gironde Geography of Landes (department) Protected areas established in 1970 Tourist attractions in Nouvelle-Aquitaine Tourist attractions in Landes (department) Tourist attractions in Gironde