Humanity and Biodiversity

Humanité et Biodiversité (Humanity and Biodiversity) is a French environmental association founded in 1976 and recognised as being of public utility (reconnue d'utilité publique). It is a national association under the French law of 1901 and holds a national accreditation for nature protection from the Ministry of Ecological Transition. Its stated mission is to place biodiversity at the heart of society — "la biodiversité partout, pour tous et avec tous" (biodiversity everywhere, for everyone and with everyone). The organisation was originally created on 20 January 1976 as the Rassemblement des opposants à la chasse (ROC), a movement opposed to hunting, under the presidency of Bernard Groslier. Founding members included Paule Drouault, Serge Boutinot, Jean-Claude Nouët and Professor Théodore Monod. In 1982 Théodore Monod became president, and the association pursued legal challenges against hunting opening dates and defended the rights of non-hunters, while also creating a network of refuges for landowners wishing to ban hunting on their land. Hubert Reeves succeeded Théodore Monod in 2000, and the organisation was renamed Ligue ROC pour la préservation de la faune sauvage et la défense des non-chasseurs. Under Reeves the association shifted from opposition to dialogue with public and private actors and to raising awareness of biodiversity preservation. In 2012 it adopted its current name, Humanité et Biodiversité, and launched the Oasis Nature network, which encourages individuals to turn gardens, balconies or other green spaces into refuges for biodiversity. Bernard Chevassus-au-Louis, a biologist and ecologist and former president of the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle, became president in 2015; Hubert Reeves became honorary president until his death on 13 October 2023. In 2016 Sandrine Bélier joined as director, bringing experience from Alsace Nature and France Nature Environnement. Since April 2026 the association has been presided over by Sylvie Bénard. The association is affiliated with France Nature Environnement (FNE) and the French committee of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It is a member of the Conseil national du développement durable and the Grenelle Environnement, as well as the Conseil économique, social et environnemental. Its activities include awareness campaigns, public advocacy, concrete programmes such as the Oasis Nature network, publications, podcasts and the À Voix Haute pour la Biodiversité public-speaking video competition for 18–35 year-olds launched in 2022. In 2024 it presented TRAGECO, an observatory of the agroecological transition of agriculture, and its synthetic indicator TTAE.

Humanité et Biodiversité was founded on 20 January 1976 as the Rassemblement des opposants à la chasse (ROC), under the presidency of Bernard Groslier. Other founding members were Paule Drouault, Serge Boutinot, Jean-Claude Nouët and Professor Théodore Monod. At a time when no hunting licence yet existed, the association carried out numerous field actions against hunting with hounds, against waterfowl hunting, against fur fairs for small predators, and against live pigeon shooting. In 1982 Théodore Monod, previously a board member, became president. The association then successfully brought numerous cases before administrative courts, notably against hunting opening dates and to enforce the rights of non-hunters. In parallel, a network of refuges was created for landowners wishing to ban hunting on their land. Hubert Reeves succeeded Théodore Monod in 2000, after Monod's death. The association's name was changed to Ligue ROC pour la préservation de la faune sauvage et la défense des non-chasseurs, with ROC no longer an acronym. Under Hubert Reeves the association moved from opposition to a desire for dialogue with public and private actors and to raising awareness of biodiversity preservation among the general public. It framed its action within the general preservation of biodiversity and conducted national advocacy for respect for living things. It took part in various consultations with public authorities to defend animal protection, the interests of non-hunters and biodiversity. In 2012 the association was renamed Humanité et Biodiversité. That same year the Oasis Nature network was created by Hubert Reeves to encourage everyone to transform their garden, balcony or any other green space into a refuge for biodiversity. Based on the idea that small adjustments can favour local fauna and flora, the programme aims to recreate, from oasis to oasis, a network of spaces conducive to life. Hubert Reeves explained in 2013 in the Dernières Nouvelles d'Alsace that the initiative aimed to "give people the feeling of being able to be actors in the protection of nature". In 2015 the presidency was entrusted to Bernard Chevassus-au-Louis, a biologist and ecologist and former president of the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle, among other honorary titles and mandates. Hubert Reeves then became honorary president until his death on 13 October 2023. In 2016 Sandrine Bélier joined the association as director, bringing her experience from Alsace Nature and France Nature Environnement. To contribute to the citizen mobilisation of the younger generation, Humanité et Biodiversité launched in 2022 the À Voix Haute pour la Biodiversité public-speaking video competition for 18–35 year-olds, inviting them to share a short video in which they express their commitment to biodiversity out loud. The competition received support from artists such as Laurent Voulzy, as well as Charles Souchon, Coline Rio and Solann, who were successive sponsors of different editions. The event also took place at the Francofolies de La Rochelle, a partner of the project with the support of the Office français de la biodiversité. A first podcast of the same name, À Voix Haute pour la Biodiversité, was launched in 2023, in which guests (naturalists, artists, entrepreneurs, content creators, activists, etc.) share their journeys, the origins of their commitment to biodiversity, their reflections on ecology and their projects for the future and the common good. It is available on all listening platforms. In 2024 the association presented its observatory of the agroecological transition of agriculture, TRAGECO, and its synthetic indicator, the TTAE (Taux de transition agroécologique), allowing measurement, at the overall level of metropolitan France, of the degree of progress of the agroecological transition of agriculture. On that occasion, a dedicated journal was published. In 2025 a second podcast, Les Petites Histoires de la Biodiversité, conceived and directed by Bernard Chevassus-au-Louis, joined the listening platforms with a weekly episode shedding light on the secrets of biodiversity. It is produced by Humanité et Biodiversité with the financial support of the Office français de la biodiversité. Since April 2026 the association has been presided over by Sylvie Bénard, following Bernard Chevassus-au-Louis (2015–2026).

• Founded as Rassemblement des opposants à la chasse (ROC) under Bernard Groslier.

• Théodore Monod becomes president; legal challenges and refuge network developed.

• Hubert Reeves succeeds Théodore Monod; renamed Ligue ROC.

• Renamed Humanité et Biodiversité; Oasis Nature network created.

• Bernard Chevassus-au-Louis becomes president; Hubert Reeves becomes honorary president.

• Sandrine Bélier joins as director.

• Launch of À Voix Haute pour la Biodiversité competition.

• Launch of À Voix Haute pour la Biodiversité podcast; death of Hubert Reeves on 13 October.

• Presentation of TRAGECO observatory and TTAE indicator.

• Launch of Les Petites Histoires de la Biodiversité podcast.

• Sylvie Bénard becomes president.

National environmental association recognised as being of public utility, focused on awareness, citizen mobilisation, advocacy and dialogue with public and private actors to place biodiversity at the heart of society.

• Oasis Nature network

  A network encouraging individuals to turn gardens, balconies or other green spaces into refuges for biodiversity.

• À Voix Haute pour la Biodiversité competition

  A public-speaking video competition for 18–35 year-olds launched in 2022.

• À Voix Haute pour la Biodiversité podcast

  A podcast launched in 2023 featuring guests sharing their commitment to biodiversity.

• Les Petites Histoires de la Biodiversité podcast

  A weekly podcast launched in 2025, conceived and directed by Bernard Chevassus-au-Louis.

• TRAGECO observatory

  An observatory of the agroecological transition of agriculture presented in 2024.

• TTAE indicator

  A synthetic indicator (Taux de transition agroécologique) measuring the progress of agroecological transition in metropolitan France.

• Oasis Nature
• À Voix Haute pour la Biodiversité

1. 1ACCUEIL | Humanité et Biodiversitéhumanite-biodiversite.fr
2. 2PODCAST "LES PETITES HISTOIRES" | Humanité et Biodiversitéhumanite-biodiversite.fr
3. 3Humanity and Biodiversity - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Humanité et biodiversité - Wikipédiafr.wikipedia.org