Définition
The French strategy for the preservation of the biodiversity is based, for its legislative part, on the Environment Code (Articles L411-1 et seq.) and, for its regulatory part, on the Rural Code (Articles R.211-1 et seq.). The regulations integrate European community regulations (directives and rules) and the international regulations (conventions).
By application of these regulations, ministerial decrees define the lists of protected species over the entire national territory and the means for their protection (these lists are completed by ministerial decrees for the protection of species in each region). Certain species which do not benefit from total protection on the national level may be covered by full or partial protection on the local level by local government regulations. The list of such species is set by decree.