The primary goal of this twinning was for the two parks to share their experiences and work together in promoting the management of protected natural areas, taking account of the philosophy which underpins the concept of a Biosphere Reserve: protected areas must not be considered as isolated spaces that are outside economic development, but on the contrary as spaces whose management makes conservation and development mutually compatible.
This objective has been realised in the shape of successive action plans and a substantial joint output: publications, travelling exhibitions, research projects, exchange of experiences and staff, reciprocal technical assistance and, above all, the creation of very solid personal and institutional links.
The twentieth anniversary of the twinning was celebrated in November 2007. It was on this occasion, too, that the 2007–2010 action plan was signed.
The priorities of the 2007–2010 action plan :
- School exchanges: three classes from schools in Pont-de-Montvert and Saint-Martin-de-Lansuscle, whose pupils learn Occitan, are candidates;
- Exchanges of field staff: two Catalonian park rangers stayed in the Cévennes in June 2009 and two French park rangers in Catalonia in October 2009;
- Organising a meeting of Mediterranean Biosphere Reserves;
- A concerted response to the next call for projects within the European INTERREG IV programme “Agriculture” or “Sustainable Tourism”;
- Exchanges on practising sustainable tourism;
- Improved promotion of the twinning, especially on the Internet.