(National Research Institute on Science and Technology for Environment and Agriculture)

Irstea: a research institute specialized in decision support and action

Irstea http://www.irstea.fr/en/home-page is a French public scientific and technical institute in joint supervision with the Ministry of Research and the Ministry of Agriculture and is holder of an agreement with the Ministry of Ecology, the co-signatory of its constitutive decree.

Irstea’s main missions

Initiating, implementing, coordinating and supporting scientific and technological research in the fields of sustainable land and resource management, in the medium as well as in the long-term. The projects are either based on its own initiative or on request by e.g. governmental institutions.

Grenoble Center - “Territories” Department

Research and analyses of the research unit Development of Mountain Areas operate mainly in the field of social sciences. Our research concentrates on rural and mountain territories, from rural areas on the fringes of cities to protected areas. These regions are subject to significant pressure, especially from urban factors, and their environment represents a development asset – since it offers amenities that can be harnessed – and a major vulnerability, since it must be preserved. Our teams look at various development aspects.

One group focuses on dynamics and regulation of areas under urban influence: residential choice and segregation, land and territorial planing. A second is concerned with agricultural activities in mountain areas with a specific interest in sustainable agriculture that balances farming needs with those of the environment. Another group examines tourist activities, how they are organised and which consequences they have for given regions. Our sociological research seeks to improve the understanding of contemporary evolutions in ‘nature policies’ and environmental science policies and how these overlap. The research is carried out with the aim to support decision-making and the development of policies.

Researchers involved

• Dominik Cremer-Schulte, spatial planner, PhD candidate in economics
• Hugues Francois, database specialist
• Mihai Tivadar, spatial economist
• Frédéric Bray, database specialist