Michèle Rousseau, the BRGM's Chair and Executive Director, and Christian Dubreuil, the ONF's Executive Director, sign the agreement.
© BRGM
On 31 May 2018, Michèle Rousseau, BRGM Chair and Executive Director, and Christian Dubreuil, ONF Executive Director, signed a framework agreement to pursue and strengthen their partnership over the next five years.
Natural risk prevention: coastal and geological risks
Collaborative work on natural risks prevention between the BRGM and the ONF has a well-proven track record. In 2017, the two organisations jointly published a guide to dune and beach management. The new joint projects under consideration include a quantification, using drones, of wind erosion affecting dunes in the public domain, the role of groundwater tables in maintaining dune-fixing vegetation and preventive measures for coastal cliffs.
The goal of the partnership with the ONF is to jointly develop projects that ensure the long-term preservation of natural resources, taking the effects of climate change into account. Knowledge on coastal risks and their management are a priority for the BRGM. The Aquitaine Coastal Observatory is one important focus of our collaborative work. For mountain areas, our two organisations will be sharing their expertise to analyse the influence of climate change on slope stability. We are also planning to assess the impact of wildfires on the dynamics of rocky slopes.
International and Overseas France cooperation
The BRGM and the ONF are planning several joint projects in Overseas France, on mining management in French Guiana, on the specific geological features of volcanic environments in La Réunion and on natural risks.
The two organisations will be running joint projects commissioned by public or private players on a range of topics, including coastal and gravity-related risks and the rehabilitation of sites affected by extractive mining.
The international dimension of our collaborative work is of particular importance. Joint activities with ONF International are under consideration to enhance the value of the geological and forest heritage in the Caribbean, South America and Africa. On a request from the Environment Ministry of the Central African Republic, ONF and BRGM teams are already working to develop tools for environmental and social protection to benefit local areas and their populations.
