All learning modules

Forest and Environmental law

Courses objectives

The relations between human societies and their environments are legally framed by regulations and norms that aim to limit their interactions. Environmental law, although a relatively recent discipline, is currently undergoing significant developments. The aim of the discipline is essentially based on conservative values such as the protection of natural resources and their use, the supervision of their management, the safeguarding and security of their quality and the fight against the degradation of them.
The forest, as a natural resource, has had its own legal trajectory in France and has seen the birth of its own discipline: French forestry law. This specific jurisdiction, of ancient origin, has inspired that of many countries in the world and is today an important knowledge base for observing the legal framework of sustainable resource management.
It is now necessary to understand and assimilate the mechanisms underlying these different laws (international environmental law, international forestry law, French forestry law) and their articulation at different levels of governance (from local to global), while understanding the multiplicity of legal mechanisms (laws, decrees, orders, circulars, directives, regulations, standards, recommendations, etc.) that exist.

Course contents

The aim of the module is to improve the understanding and definition of the main features of international environmental law (IEL) and the more specific law on forests as a natural resource, from the international level for international forestry law (IFL) to French forestry law.
This module provides specific keys to understanding an exhaustive and complex discipline, by focusing on the historical evolution of IEL and forests and by concentrating the analysis on the specific case of French forestry law, analysed in its complexity, in the mechanisms it creates (French Forestry Regime) and through the prism of its use by the key players in the forestry sector:
  • International environmental law and international forestry law
  • Introduction to French environmental and forestry law and policies
  • The forestry regime and the role of the ONF
  • Forestry and the role of the ONF
  • Protection of forests and the protective role of certain forests
  • Environmental law: protected species and areas of specific protection
  • Surveillance in detail: forestry criminal law and environmental criminal law

Teaching and learning methods

Lectures and case studies (20h).

Course evaluation

Possible knowledge test of 2 hours

Target skills

Knowledge of the main aspects of the regulations and laws governing sustainable forest management in France and internationally.

Course Coordinator(s)

Dr. BLONDET Marieke
Lecturer in socio-anthropology, AgroParisTech Nancy
marieke.blondet @ agroparistech.fr

Additional Info

  • Training delivering this course: SM FNS-MI
  • Field of study: Humanities
  • Learning place(s): Nancy
  • Requirements:

    None.

  • Calendar-Duration:

    Course of 20H in October-November

  • Keywords:

    Legal standards; forest code; forest regime; private forest management; land clearing; protection forests; forest land consolidation; international environmental law; international forest regime; multilateral environmental agreements

UFR G-ENV — AgroParisTech

Montpellier campus
648 rue Jean-François Breton
BP 44494
34093 Montpellier Cedex 5
France