agreste

Agreste cahiers

The French landscape changes between 1992 and 2002 : more artificial and less open because of urban sprawl and the loss of fondness for agricultural zones.

Between 1992 and 2002, in France the trend is towards a reduction of agricultural lands, especially of meadows, and towards an extension of forests and zones connected with urban development (roads, parking lots, construction sites, quarries, etc.) and building. A more detailed analysis, by 324-hectare sections located at 6 km. intervals, gives the current organisation of land use and its modifications. Seven movements have been identified. Man-made changes in the land are the most frequent, and in most regions of France. Forests are spreading and thus making the landscape more homogeneous. In contrast, farm zones tend to lose their homogeneity and even lose their traditional vocations. Only 30% of landscapes remain stable, and 19% increase their agricultural use.