PARIS, June 9 (Xinhua) -- France's Ministry for Ecological Transition, Biodiversity and International Negotiations on Climate and Nature announced Tuesday on its official website the creation of seven new biological reserves, in addition to two expanded ones, to strengthen the preservation of forest ecosystems and biodiversity.
Established under the Forestry Code, biological reserves are public forest areas managed by the National Forestry Office, where the protection of biodiversity is a priority. They are divided into two types: strict biological reserves, where forests are allowed to evolve freely without exploitation, and managed biological reserves, where active management helps preserve fragile species or habitats.
The newly created and expanded biological reserves comprise eight strict biological reserves and one managed biological reserve, and bring an additional 157,000 hectares of forests under protection, ranging from the tropical forests of French Guiana to mountain, lowland and Mediterranean forests in mainland France, according to the website.
"With these new biological reserves, this means less pressure on natural environments and stronger protection for species and habitats. It is a tangible step towards the goal of placing 10 percent of terrestrial territory under strong protection by 2030 and towards protecting an additional 250,000 hectares of forests," said Monique Barbut, Minister for Ecological Transition, Biodiversity and International Negotiations on Climate and Nature.
