Domaine de Belval-Bois-des-Dames - France

The Belval-Bois-des-Dames hunting estate, located in the northern part of the Argonne forest, is one of five identified workshop sites of LTSER Zone Atelier environnementale rurale Argonne – France. It is managed by the François Sommer Foundation for Hunting and Nature (FFS). The foundation has defined three main missions for this estate: training in sustainable hunting methods and large mammals management, preservation of natural environment, and scientific research and long-term biodiversity monitoring. The estate is a 1,000-hectare forest park, entirely enclosed by a fence that is impervious to large mammals (deer, roe deer, and wild boar) but transparent to other species, particularly birds and carnivores. It is primarily covered by deciduous forest stands managed by the public French National Forestry Office, and also includes a 50-hectare complex of wetlands and ponds, as well as clearings. To support research programs within the park, the FFS has funded the construction of a building complex, scheduled for completion in 2026. This complex includes a laboratory, classrooms, conference and meeting rooms, and accommodation for trainees and research teams. The ultimate goal of the FFS and ZARG is to open all infrastructure and equipment to research teams who wish to do so, with the option of adapting the facilities to their own needs.