ZNIEFF around Brive-La-Gaillarde

Of the 155 category 1 ZNIEFFs in Corrèze, 33 are located in the Brive urban area. The Causse Corrézien is well represented: 16 ZNIEFFs are located in the communes of the Causse Corrézien.

What is a ZNIEFF?

The inventory of Natural Zones of Ecological, Faunistic and Floristic Interest (ZNIEFF) was launched in 1982 by the Ministry of the Environment. Its aim was to cover the most ecologically interesting areas, primarily with a view to improving knowledge of the country's natural heritage and providing decision-makers with a tool to help them take the environment into account in land-use planning.

ZNIEFFs in the Brive conurbation :

Several ZNIEFFs are listed in the Brive basin (Coteau calcaire du Puy Lenty, Prairies calcaires de Saint-Robert et Ayen, Gravières de Larche, Vallée de Planchetorte....) due to theirexceptional botanical assemblages, which are unique in the Limousin region and include limestone grasslands and wastelands, calcicole woods with downy oaks and sometimes holm oaks.

A large number of species on the regional list of protected plants can be found in these environments, including the Montpellier capillary, the Martagon lily and the Pyramidal orchid.

Some key species:

• Bee Ophrys
• Brown Ophrys
• Woodcock Ophrys
• Marsh plantain
• Scotch heather
• Montpellier Maple...