Drôme is a rich mosaic of natural environments that are remarkable for their fascinating geology, ecology and landscapes.
Conscious of the need to ensure their continued existence and to enable you to discover them, the Department has adopted an exemplary management approach for these Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (ENS – Espaces Naturels Sensibles), 9 of which are owned by the Department and 12 of which are managed by local communities with the help of the Department.
Forests, marshes, cliffs, perched syncline… Drôme is a rich mosaic of natural environments that are remarkable for their fascinating geology, ecology and landscapes.
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These fragile or threatened spaces are characterized by the rarity and wealth of the species living there. Conscious of the need to ensure their continued existence and to enable you to discover and walk around them, the Department has adopted an exemplary and pro-active management approach for these sites that have been listed as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (ENS – Espaces Naturels Sensibles).
In 2014, the Department owns 9 ENS (5,970 hectares) representative of the diverse range of natural environments to be found in the Drôme.
Nature Wardens are in charge of the management, supervision and maintenance of these natural environments within the Department. They work there in tandem with all those who use these sites: foresters, shepherds, farmers, hunters, etc.
They also provide a welcome to walkers and school groups, and raise awareness of these natural areas, their biological wealth and sumptuous landscapes. Over 300,000 people (self-organised and guided tours, the public at large and school groups combined) visit the Department’s ENS every year: a sure sign of the growing interest in our natural heritage.
There are 12 other ENS areas that are managed by local communities with the help of the Department.
