Protected areas
In April 1768, aboard La Boudeuse, Bougainville discovered Tahiti, and in his book Voyage autour du monde, he wrote: "I thought I had been transported to the Garden of Eden: we were traversing a grassy plain, covered with beautiful fruit trees and intersected by small rivers that maintain a delightful freshness, without any of the inconveniences that humidity entails. Botanist Philibert Commerson and his assistant, none other than Jeanne Barret, the first woman to embark - and disguise herself as a man to escape the ban on women sailing - collected botanical specimens. Years later, on Commerson's death, Jeanne would return the precious crates to the King's garden, now the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle in Paris. French Polynesia's biogeographical situation, climate and insularity explain the exceptional and often endemic nature of its flora and fauna, both terrestrial and marine. It is home to 20% of the world's atolls and over 15,000 km² of coral ecosystems. Different types of protected areas have been created to preserve this unique and fragile biodiversity, with different governance and requirements.
The concept of marine educational areas (MEAs), was born in 2012 in the Marquesas Islands. These areas are managed in a participatory manner by elementary school pupils. This governance involves the expertise of environmental protection associations and users, with the support of local authorities, the Polynesian government and the state agency in charge of marine protected areas. The first AME was set up on the island of Tahuata, run by children from the Vaitahu school. Today, a network of several marine educational areas in the Marquesas Islands is called Pukatai (the Marquesan name for coral). The concept has since flourished and spread to mainland France.
The Fakarava Taiaro Biosphere Reserve comprises 7 atolls: Aratika, Fakarava, Kauehi, Niau, Raraka, Toau and Taiaro, and is part of UNESCO's Man and Biosphere program.
Te Tai Nui a Hau,the Marquesas' 700,000 km²marine protected area, reconciles the preservation of ecosystems with an approach based on consultation with the local population. It is also part of the project to have the Marquesas Islands listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The "50 pas géométriques" zone is also located in the Marquesas Islands. It is the result of a regulation instituted by Colbert in the 17th century. Owned by French Polynesia, this coastal strip is protected from construction and development.
Since 2004,Moorea has benefited from a maritime space management plan (PGEM), the aim of which is to bring together stakeholders to ensure the preservation of ecosystems and the sustainable management of resources.
The Te Faʼaiti Nature Park in Tahiti was created in 2000. It is located in the Papenoʼo valley, and aims to protect the site's natural, as well as cultural and archaeological, heritage.
The Tainui Atea Managed Marine Area (MMA) is one of the largest managed marine areas in the world, covering around 5,000,000 km². It is not a sanctuary for life, but an area that integrates human activities (fishing) with a view to sustainable management.
There are also unregulated natural areas, whose management is left to the initiative of local populations, such as Rapa and the Tahiti peninsula.
In addition, as part of the National Biodiversity Strategy 2011-2020, French Polynesia has set up green brigades, two of which are already operating in the territory. These brigades not only raise awareness of the need for proper waste management, but also penalize offenders. In 2022, the association la Brigade Verte Tahiti has deployed more local actions.
A fragile territory exposed to natural risks and anthropic pressure
French Polynesia, a vast South Pacific territory covering 5 million km², is exposed to the risks of flooding, landslides, storms, earthquakes and tsunamis. Cyclonic risk is low, with the exception of the Australs. Anthropogenic pressure is increasing the frequency and severity of certain risks. For example, intensive farming, the artificialization of land through construction, and the exploitation and extraction of sand have all had the effect of accentuating erosion. Action programs have been implemented to preserve the environment and ecosystems. In fact, the mayor of Bora Bora has decided to ban mega-ships from entering the lagoon from 2022. The RESCCUE program (Restoration of Ecosystem Services and Adaptation to Climate Change) aims to support sustainable agriculture, with the development of agroforestry, a technique that promotes soil maintenance, the development of living organisms and productive ecological crops. It should be remembered that water and soil are polluted by pesticides, some of which are found in high levels in agricultural production. The second part of the program is based on soft actions to combat coastal erosion, while the third focuses on controlling invasive species. These systemic actions are also in keeping with the context of climate change, which is also being accelerated by human action and could have a major impact on French Polynesia. Rising sea levels could alter beaches. Extreme events could also be more frequent. A report published in 2017 by the Chambre territoriale des Comptes of French Polynesia points to the inadequacy of current policies in the face of environmental challenges, the lack of overall management of the issue, and action plans that are not always followed up. More and more Polynesians are aware of the urgency of the environmental situation, and associations and more and more young people are working in the field. Here, as in other territories, the ecological transition has yet to get off the ground.
