Following the Gonfaron fire which affected 2/3 of the Plaine des Maures National Nature Reserve, a prefectural decree regulating access to this site as well as to certain activities was issued on September 10, 2021. by the Prefect of the Var in order to allow the restoration of the fauna and flora. School holidays are no exception and checks will be carried out to ensure that the ban taken by the Prefect of Var is respected.
Except for owners and beneficiaries, nobody can circulate. The circulation of vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, riders and teams on natural environments, hiking trails, forest tracks and agricultural paths throughout the perimeter of the nature reserve is thus prohibited, as is the presence of dogs, even on a leash. All leisure activities such as hiking, collecting mushrooms and chestnuts, but also fishing are prohibited on the entire perimeter of the Reserve.
Hunting is also prohibited, except for that of the wild boar which will be able to resume from the hibernation of Hermann’s turtles and according to a restricted protocol established in consultation with the departmental federation of hunters of the Var, the manager of the reserve, the departmental direction of the territories and the sea and the French Biodiversity Office.
The Prefecture of Var indicates that “these measures are essential to allow the surviving animals to eat or prepare to hibernate, without being disturbed“.
During this school holiday period when a peak in public attendance is observed in the natural environments of the Plaine and the Massif des Maures, checks will be carried out by the gendarmerie, by the French Biodiversity Office and by the National Forestry Office on the entire perimeter of the reserve.