Designing and implementation of ecological engineering projects

The human species lives in close relationship with biodiversity, of which it is an integral part. For centuries, we have shaped our territories and ecosystems in such a way as to optimize the goods and services they provide. However, the development of technology and economic models based on the unlimited exploitation of resources have led to a degradation of ecosystems, the consequences of which we are only just beginning to measure. As well as eroding biodiversity, ecosystem degradation leads to a deterioration in the quality of the ecosystem services on which we depend.

Today, it is just as necessary to restore and rehabilitate ecosystems as it is to design and develop economic and social models that are compatible with the functioning of living organisms. Ecological engineering provides a framework for practical, operational thinking and implementation.

In its definition, ecological engineering aims to promote the resilience of ecosystems, by preserving and developing biodiversity through appropriate actions. The principle is to implement operations that will influence the evolution of natural environments and ecological trajectories. It thus enables the reconstitution or restoration of natural habitats, the living zones of living species, as well as the optimization of the functions and services provided by ecosystems. Ecological engineering can be applied in a wide range of fields, from the management of sensitive natural areas to the restoration of degraded ecosystem services, or as a response to regulatory requirements linked to the protection of areas and their habitats.

By working for and with living organisms, ecological engineering requires an ethical, deontological and technical framework. To this end, and at the initiative of the Union professionnelle du génie écologique (UPGE), a standard for conducting ecological engineering projects was drafted and published in October 2012 (AFNOR standard NF X10-900 ). It presents, step by step, the various stages leading to the implementation of concrete and appropriate actions, taking into account all the issues and constraints.

The standard is one of the tools for structuring the ecological engineering sector in France. At the same time, players in research, training, associations, public authorities and economic players have been working for many years to develop knowledge and gain recognition for the skills and specific features of the profession.