The Roots of Conservation: Pre-Industrial France

Before examining the environmental impacts of industrialization, it is essential to understand France's pre-industrial relationship with nature. For centuries, French landscapes were shaped by agricultural practices, forest management, and regional traditions that often embodied sustainable principles born of necessity rather than ideology.

The pays system—France's traditional regional divisions based on natural features rather than administrative boundaries—reflected an intimate understanding of local ecosystems. From the bocage hedgerow landscapes of Normandy to the garrigue scrublands of Provence, communities developed land-use practices adapted to their specific environments. These traditional systems, while not without their environmental impacts, often maintained biodiversity and soil health through practices we now recognize as ecological.