French Version
Relevant Territory
European Union.
Overview
The Council directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora, known as the "Habitats" directive, lists the natural habitat types that are of Community interest in its Annex I. They meet one or more of the following criteria:
Of the 233 habitats of Community interest to the European Union, 133 are present in France. Their definition is specified in the Interpretation Manual of European Union Habitats (European Commission, 2013).
In order to supplement and clarify the French interpretation manual, the "Habitats Manuals" were written(Bensettiti & al., 2001-2005) . The latter include detailed descriptions of the habitats present in our territory, and information on the appropriate management methods in order to conserve them. On the 133 habitats of Community interest (known as "generic habitats" in the Habitats Manuals) that are currently identified in France, 122 are discussed in the Habitats Manuals. They have been divided into "declined" habitats according to an ecological or management rationale, each being the subject of a sheet, with a total of 626 sheets thus forming the "Habitats Manuals" typology.
A national working group was set up with the task of clarifying the interpretations of terrestrial habitats of community interest for France, then updating the generic sheets of the Cahiers d'habitats published between 2001 and 2005. This work is being carried out and published in the form of booklets based on the major types of environment in which habitats of Community interest are classified in the "Habitats-Faune-Flore" Directive (first digit of the habitat code of Community interest). A general note presents the approach and methodological principles followed by the working group (Gaudillat & al., 2023).
For the marine habitats of community interest that are present in France (EU 1110 to 1180 and EU 8330), a recent national interpretation allowed to redefine the habitat units and to provide details (possible overlaps with other habitats, geographical delimitation, etc.) (de Bettignies & al., 2021). Following the publication of this national interpretation, the units of the Coastal Habitats Manuals are no longer used for marine HICs.
Evolution
New versions of the Interpretation Manual are published as new member states join the European Union. Fascicules 1 and 3 of the Cahiers d'habitats v2, devoted to coastal and halophytic habitats and freshwater habitats, have been published (Gaudillat & al., 2023, 2024). They will be followed by fascicule 2 (Dune habitats).
Links
List of Habitats of Community Interest (HCI)
List of Habitats of Habitats Manuals
Download correspondence tables
Website of the European Commission for the "Habitats" directive
References
Bensettiti F., Boullet V., Chavaudret-Laborie C. & Deniaud J. (coord.), 2005. « Cahiers d'habitats » Natura 2000. Connaissance et gestion des habitats et des espèces d'intérêt communautaire. Tome 4 - Habitats agropastoraux. MEDD/MAAPAR/MNHN. Éd. La Documentation française, Paris, volume 1 , 445 p. et volume 2 , 487 p. + cédérom.
Relevant Territory
Northeast Atlantic.
Overview
The Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (OSPAR Convention) is an agreement between fifteen governments from the coasts and western isles of Europe, as well as the European Union, to cooperate in order to protect the marine environment of the North-East Atlantic. In the context of the OSPAR strategy for the protection and conservation of ecosystems and biological diversity, the OSPAR Commission selects species and habitats that require protection. The result of this reflection is a list of 18 threatened and/or in decline habitats, 14 of which are considered to be present in France (in the English Channel, North Sea and/or the Atlantic). For each of these habitats, syntheses of knowledge, as well as recommendations, are written and updated as necessary (available on the OSPAR website).
Evolution
The list may evolve, but is not regularly updated.
Links
The classification tables (descriptions, correspondences) are downloadable via the national habitat repository HabRef in the « Data & tools » section.
Download correspondence tables
References
Relevant Territory
Mediterranean Sea.
Overview
The Regional Activity Centre for Specially Protected Areas (RAC/SPA) developed a classification of benthic marine habitat types for the Mediterranean region from which a reference list of marine habitat types for the selection of sites to be included in the national inventories of natural sites of conservation interest, as provided for in the protocol concerning Specially Protected Areas and biological diversity in the Mediterranean, as well as in the Action Plan for the protection of the marine environment and the sustainable development of the coastal areas of the Mediterranean, adopted by the Contracting Parties of the Barcelona Convention in 1995.
This classification was based on the typology of Dauvin et al. (1994). It has been entirely taken over and adapted to the specificities of the Mediterranean area. This work was first applied to the coasts of France (ZNIEFF update project), then to the entire Mediterranean area for the needs of SPA/RAC. This habitat typology represents a hierarchical reference system for the various habitats present in the Mediterranean. The biocenoses were classified according to the depth zone and granulometric nature of the bottoms.
Evolution
Classification updated following the evolution of the EUNIS classification. The updated Barcelona Convention classification will be integrated in the next HabRef update and can be found on the SPA/RAC website.
Links
Hierarchical tree of the Barcelona convention classification (2006)
Download correspondence tables
References
