Nature in the city

Preserving natural habitats and species

Les bords de Seine à Neuilly novembre 2020 © Florence Delaby

Paris La Défense intends to deploy green and blue grids throughout its territory. The green and blue grid is an approach that aims to include the preservation of biodiversity in land use decisions, contributing to the improvement of the living environment and the attractiveness of the residential and tourist areas.

How can we do this? By creating green bicycle paths, pedestrian links, planted streets, parks and gardens! These spaces, linked together, will make it possible to:

  • Maintain and reconstitute a network of exchanges so that animal and plant species can ensure their life cycle;
  • Reduce the amount of rainwater discharged into the sewers and encourage its infiltration into the soil and its absorption by plants;
  • To reduce the temperature during heat waves. And yes! Plants release water vapor into the air. Nature is well made, isn't it?

The brown screen is a lever for ecological transition in urban areas. It aims to promote the presence of living and functional soils by maintaining and improving the quality of open-ground soils. It is also used by Paris La Défense in its future developments, such as the Parc project on the La Défense esplanade.

This is why Paris La Défense now calls on multidisciplinary teams to develop its development projects. Ecologists, environmental technicians and hydrologists work together with landscape architects to preserve and improve the biodiversity of the Paris La Défense territory.

Which species in Paris La Défense?

Biodiversité à Paris La Défense juin 2019 © Carlos Ayesta

  • 124 wild animal species have been observed, including bats, dragonflies, peregrine falcons, and the Serin Cini.
  • The Peregrine Falcon comes to nest at the top of the towers of La Défense. In fact, it assimilates them to the landscapes usually frequented by falconids. To encourage the maintenance of these birds of prey in the Seine Valley, four nesting boxes have been installed on the EDF and Engie towers and near La Grande Arche.

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