The contemporary evolution of the landscape - Man-made cultural landscapes - The landscapes - An exceptional heritage

History has shaped the cultural storyline, and therefore the identity, of the Cévennes and Causses. The contemporary evolution of the landscape – through natural reforestation on abandoned land and through transformations brought about by new agricultural methods, forestry or activities linked to tourism – is inevitably measured against this.

Increased reforestation

Pine plantation on the mesa Mejean naked: a radical transformation of the landscape traditionally maintained by grazing

Increased reforestation is the key element in the contemporary transformation of the National Park’s landscapes.
The steppe-like landscape of the Causse (Causses and can de l’Hospitalet), and to a lesser extent the peaks of Mont Lozère, has experienced the most important changes over the past 35 years.
This forest expansion is due to a government policy that, from 1960 to 1970, advocated reforestation using conifers. It is also the result of natural forest dynamics on open spaces that are no longer intensely farmed or grazed.

The evolution of agriculture and landscape

Small sheep farms maintaining landscapes (sunny side of Bougès)

The three key elements of the landscape have been shaped by farming and grazing practices: the sweet-chestnut orchards associated with terraced farming; the steppes of the Causses; the open peaks of the granite massifs. Their maintenance, development and evolution are still linked to these practices.

In 1970, when the National Park was being created, agricultural decline was hitting the Cévennes hard. The Park area lost over half its farmers in the space of 20 years. The creation of the Cévennes National Park slowed down this demographic erosion.

The evolution of housing and construction

Hamlet has preserved its traditional

The creation of the National Park has made it possible to preserve or restore a very substantial part of the central zone’s architectural heritage. In fact, new building is absolutely prohibited in the central zone, except for agricultural needs. The layout and typology of traditional architecture has thus been kept intact. Today, this is one of the great assets of this inhabited landscape.

In the membership zone, the rules governing installation and construction are very different. However, all restorations must be carried out in accordance with the cultural principles of the Cévennes, which are diverse in terms of both geography and architectural tradition.