War and Environment

World War I: The Devastation of Northeastern France

The First World War brought environmental destruction on an unprecedented scale. The Western Front, stretching across northeastern France, became a poisoned landscape of trenches, craters, and chemical contamination. Millions of shells containing heavy metals and poison gas rendered vast areas uninhabitable.

The "Zone Rouge" (Red Zone) designated after the war encompassed over 1,200 square kilometers deemed too damaged for human habitation. Some areas remain off-limits today, over a century later. The war's environmental legacy included not just physical destruction but also the loss of traditional agricultural knowledge as rural populations fled or perished.

Post-war reconstruction efforts included some early examples of environmental restoration. The reforestation of battlefield areas created new forests, though these differed ecologically from the ancient woodlands they replaced. The experience of total environmental destruction during the war influenced a generation of French thinkers who began questioning the costs of industrial civilization.

The Interwar Period: Conservation and Colonialism

The interwar period saw expanded conservation efforts, but these were deeply entangled with colonialism. French administrators in Africa and Indochina established game reserves and parks that prioritized wildlife viewing for European visitors while restricting indigenous hunting and agricultural practices.

In metropolitan France, the economic crises of the 1930s limited environmental initiatives, though some progress occurred. The Popular Front government (1936-1938) included provisions for paid vacations that allowed working-class families to experience nature, democratizing access to the countryside. However, this increased tourism also brought new pressures on natural areas.