Living heritage mission
To understand and protect, to develop and let people know. These are the basics of heritage missions of the regional nature Park. We have created a constant observatory for the landscapes but also the Fauna and Flora. Following this, inventories (censuses of species), studies (analyses by subject) and scientific research programs are undertaken in the park in order to manage and protect the space and the species and also make people understand and care about the natural heritage.

Prospectors in the park...
In the forest or on a dam of a pond, you can come across someone carrying binoculars or a butterfly net, or even a botanist scrutinising with his magnifying glass a rare plant. They are not nature freaks , but specialists of flora and fauna listing and trying to understand the mysteries of nature.

Who is doing what?
The park undertakes, coordinates and participates to inventories and biologic follow ups, studies and research programs about natural environment, Fauna, Flora and the impact of some human activities. These inventories and studies are undertaken internally (agents of the environmental service, students as part of their internship), or entrusted to competent organisations (the Regional Conservatory of Natural Heritage, the National Forest Office) . The Park also contributes (by logistical and financial support) to scientific research programs led by scientific organisms (Ecole Normale Supérieur, CNRS, universities...) on its territory. The Educational Center for the environment (CEPE) of the Park is the operational centre of the scientific activities of the Park.

Financing
Annual programmes of events (or multiannual)are initiated by the Park and its scientific Committee, then approved by the Environmental Commission then by the Intercommunal Organization Committee. The budget comes from the Intercommunal Organization (studies undertaken internally, compensation for training courses and holidays), with the financial support of the regional Council of Champagne Ardennes (up to 35% of the total cost), by the Ministry of the Environment or other partners (Europe, Water Agency...) for more important studies.

Scientific articles about the Park
The results of these studies are shown to the scientific Committee and the Environmental Commission, available at the Maison du Park and, published (for most part) in the scientific bulletin of the Park. In 2001, in the framework of the Park's 30th anniversary, a special number of this scientific bulletin entitled " 30 Years of Scientific Activities in the Park " was published and is the 24th number of the series.

> Consult the detailed list of scientific articles from 1971 to 2000 <

Studies accomplished or in progress - some examples
Here are some of many studies done (almost 100 reference work ) in progress or planned by the Intercommunal Organisation. Below ,you can find some concrete examples (for some of them, the Nature Park site in at a national level):

• Inventories of natural spaces, flora and fauna
• Studies of natural spaces, flora and fauna
• Contribution to research programs