Cistude Nature

What Cistude Nature does

Cistude Nature (Association Cistude Nature, Siret 412 071 631 00029) is a French non-profit association (association loi 1901) founded in 1995 and headquartered in Le Haillan, Nouvelle-Aquitaine. With a team of 12 staff, the association is dedicated to biodiversity knowledge, species conservation, natural habitat management, and environmental education across the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, with primary operational focus on the Gironde department. Its core scientific programs include regional biodiversity atlases (RA-NA for reptiles and amphibians; Entomo-NA for beetles and earwigs; six-volume Atlas des Mammifères sauvages d'Aquitaine), species-specific conservation plans (notably for the European pond turtle, mulette mussels, and yellow-bellied toad), and the Sentinelles du climat climate-biodiversity monitoring program coordinated since 2016. The association notably employs environmental DNA (ADNe) methodology, which enabled the first documented detection of Unio carneus in France in a January 2025 scientific publication.

Cistude Nature monetizes through a hybrid non-profit model: (1) institutional grants from the European Union, Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Bordeaux Métropole, Conseil Départemental de Gironde, departmental councils, and water/environmental programs (SMEGREG, JDD); (2) fee-based school education services at €200 per half-day and €400 per full-day session across Gironde schools; (3) membership subscriptions and donations from the general public, including free access to publications/films and 15-session nature clubs for youth; (4) professional expertise and consulting services for local authorities (biodiversity inventories, habitat mapping, ecological studies); and (5) publication and media sales including technical atlases, guides, documentary films, loanable pedagogical toolkits (Miss Emys, Mallette Serpents), and traveling exhibitions.

The association engages in extensive citizen science and volunteer mobilization (Chantier Sonneur, observation reporting for geckos, micromammal pellet analysis, formation hétérocères) and operates the SOS-Serpents d'Aquitaine public hotline (06.40.98.42.04). Its annual Festival Territoires Sauvages (8th edition in April 2026 at Le Teich) functions as a flagship public engagement event. Operational partnerships span conservation NGOs (CEN, FNE-NA, GMHL), water authorities (SMAHBB), regional nature parks (Parc Naturel Régional des Landes de Gascogne, Parc Marin du Bassin d'Arcachon), and film production partner Mauvaises Graines.

Name

Cistude Nature

Legal name

Association Cistude Nature

Website

https://cistude.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cistude Nature is a French non-profit association founded in 1995 that conducts biodiversity research, species conservation, and environmental education across Nouvelle-Aquitaine, primarily serving schools, local authorities, the general public, and conservation partners through regional atlases, eDNA species monitoring, citizen science programs, and fee-based educational services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation (BPAGAGAA), Environmental Interpretation & Ranger-Led Education Programs (Visitor Education) (THAAAOAJ), Wildlife Interpretation & Education Centers (Visitor Centers, Museums) (THAAAFAG)

Keywords

• Biodiversity conservation services
• Environmental education programs
• Wildlife atlas publication
• Citizen science monitoring
• Nature protection association

Headquarters

HQ city

Le Haillan

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership and donations: Association revenue comes primarily from member subscriptions and public support. Adhering to the association grants access to publications and films produced by Cistude Nature.
2. Educational services: School-based nature education programs offered at half-day (200 euros) or full-day (400 euros) rates. Services include animations, workshops, and outdoor educational sessions aligned with school curricula.
3. Expertise and consulting services: The association provides natural environment expertise to local authorities, including biodiversity inventories, habitat mapping, ecological studies, and conservation planning.
4. Publications and media production: Sale of educational books, guides, atlases, and documentary films. Publications include the Atlas des Amphibiens et Reptiles d'Aquitaine, Guide des Amphibiens et Reptiles d'Aquitaine, Atlas des Mammifères sauvages d'Aquitaine (6 volumes), and technical guides.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Cistude Nature is a nature protection association that combines scientific biodiversity research with public education and species conservation in Nouvelle-Aquitaine. It produces regional wildlife atlases, documentary films, and traveling exhibitions; delivers fee-based nature education animations in schools and nature clubs for youth; runs the SOS Serpents public hotline and the annual Festival Territoires Sauvages; and provides contracted naturalist expertise (biodiversity inventories, habitat mapping, ecological studies) to local authorities and conservation partners.

Product overview

Cistude Nature is a nature protection association offering a diverse portfolio of products and services focused on biodiversity conservation in Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Its offerings include documentary film production, technical publications and atlases documenting regional wildlife (mammals, amphibians, reptiles), educational toolkits (Mallette Serpents, Miss Emys), traveling exhibitions (Sentinelles du Climat, Cistude), and professional expertise services for ecological studies. The association also runs public engagement programs including the SOS Serpents hotline, the annual Territoires Sauvages festival, nature clubs for youth, and school animation workshops. Core activities span research atlases (RA-NA, Entomo-NA), species conservation programs, and environmental education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SOS-Serpents d'Aquitaine: A hotline and program dedicated to snake identification, education, and protection in Aquitaine. Includes a dedicated phone line (06.40.98.42.04) and website for snake-related queries and public education.
• Festival Territoires Sauvages
• Les Sentinelles du climat
• RA-NA
• Entomo-NA

Products and services

• Documentary Films (Films Documentaires) Co-produced documentary films covering wildlife and conservation topics including mammals (e.g. 'Nous, Mammifères'), snakes ('Des serpents dans nos têtes'), the Pyrenees ('L'Ile Pyrénées'), climate sentinels series, and species such as the Hippopotamus des ornières. Available on YouTube and at association events for general public viewing.
• Books and Atlases (Ouvrages et Atlas) Technical books, identification guides, and regional atlases documenting biodiversity in Aquitaine, including the Atlas des Amphibiens et Reptiles d'Aquitaine, Guide des Amphibiens et Reptiles d'Aquitaine, Atlas des Mammifères sauvages d'Aquitaine (6 volumes), and species-specific conservation guides. Distributed through association membership and digital downloads.
• Mallette Serpents (Snake Pedagogical Toolkit) Pedagogical toolkit on snakes of Nouvelle-Aquitaine featuring over 20 activities grouped into 6 workshops, designed for children from early childhood through primary cycles. Available on free loan to schools across departments.
• Miss Emys Pedagogical Toolkit Pedagogical toolkit on the European Pond Turtle (Cistude d'Europe), including role-playing games, board games, books, and teaching materials for biodiversity education. Co-developed with the Réserve Naturelle de l'Etang Noir.
• Traveling Exhibitions (Expositions) Traveling exhibitions on biodiversity themes including 'Sentinelles du Climat' (climate sentinels) and 'Cistude' (European Pond Turtle), available on free loan to institutions for public awareness and education.
• Naturalist Expertise and Management Services (Expertise et Gestion) Contracted naturalist expertise for local authorities including botanical surveys, wetland expertise, faunistic expertise on multiple taxa, ecosystem analysis, and Atlas of Biodiversity studies to support conservation planning.
• SOS Serpents Hotline (SOS-Serpents d'Aquitaine) Free public hotline service (06.40.98.42.04) for snake identification, advice, and intervention during snake encounters, operating 9h-17h30 weekdays in Aquitaine. Operated by Cistude Nature since 2015.
• Festival Territoires Sauvages Annual nature festival held during Easter weekend at Le Teich (La Halle du Port), featuring nature walks, documentaries, conferences, exhibitions, and family activities focused on biodiversity in Nouvelle-Aquitaine. The 8th edition took place in April 2026 with over 40 free activities.
• Nature Clubs (Clubs Nature) Year-round nature clubs for young people supported by Gironde department, consisting of 15 sessions of two hours each over a year, teaching discovery of local natural heritage and environmental responsibility.
• School Animations (Animations Scolaires) Fee-based environmental education workshops for schools (maternelle to primary levels) covering topics including soil life, biodiversity inventory, seasonal rhythms, pond exploration, bird recognition, and trees. Priced at €200 per half-day and €400 per full-day including travel within Bordeaux metropolitan area, materials, and preparation.

Quantifiable outcome

• First detection of Unio carneus in France using environmental DNA methodology (January 2025 scientific publication)
• +1 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• France Nature Environnement Nouvelle-Aquitaine (FNE-NA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordinated participation in the regional micromammal program, contributing to collective biodiversity monitoring efforts.
• Réserve Naturelle de l'Etang NoircoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for co-producing the Miss Emys pedagogical toolkit focused on European pond turtle conservation, with joint toolkit availability.
• SMAHBB (Syndicat Mixte d'Aménagement Hydraulique du Bassin de la Bassanne)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal water management authority partnering on Sonneur (yellow-bellied toad) habitat creation projects.
• GMHL (Groupe Mammalogique et Herpétologique du Limousin)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional mammal and herpetology group collaborating on Sonneur conservation actions.
• CEN (Conservatoire d'Espaces Naturels)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservancy of Natural Spaces participating in species conservation and habitat management partnerships.
• Mauvaises GrainescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFilm production company in coproduction with Cistude Nature for documentary films including 'Nous, Mammifères', 'Des serpents dans nos têtes', 'L'Ile Pyrénées', and climate sentinels series.
• OVHminorOthersWeb hosting provider for cistude.org website.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• LPO (Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux): France's largest national bird and wildlife protection NGO with regional branches (including LPO Aquitaine). Directly comparable as a conservation NGO combining citizen science, publication, and education, but operating at national scale with broader taxonomic scope.
• WWF France: Major international conservation NGO with French operations. Comparable as a fundraising and conservation-driven nonprofit, but operates at global scale with marine and policy focus rather than regional biodiversity atlases.
• UICN France: French committee of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Comparable as a non-profit focused on species and habitat conservation, but at national scale with policy and Red List expertise rather than regional field operations.
• France Nature Environnement (FNE): National federation of environmental associations. Directly comparable as the umbrella body for environmental NGO advocacy in France; Cistude Nature's partner FNE-NA is a regional chapter. FNE operates at national scale with broader policy remit.

Direct peers

• Noé Conservation: French non-profit association focused on biodiversity conservation, species protection, and public engagement. Comparable in mission, scale, and activities (education programs, citizen science, expertise services), operating primarily at national level.
• Société Herpétologique de France (SHF): National herpetology society coordinating reptile and amphibian research in France. Directly comparable in taxonomic specialization (herpetology) and atlas production, but with national scope rather than regional.
• Bretagne Vivante: Regional natural history society in Brittany covering biodiversity atlases, species protection, and education. Closely comparable as a regional NGO combining research, conservation, and public engagement, but in a different French region.
• Conservatoire d'Espaces Naturels (CEN) - Nouvelle-Aquitaine: Regional conservancy of natural spaces focused on habitat management and species protection in Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Directly comparable as a regional conservation NGO with overlap in habitat management, expertise services, and partnership ecosystem (Cistude lists CEN as a partner).
• GMHL (Groupe Mammalogique et Herpétologique du Limousin): Regional mammal and herpetology association in Limousin (Nouvelle-Aquitaine). Directly comparable as a regional naturalist NGO focused on mammal and reptile/amphibian conservation, listed as a Cistude Nature partner on Sonneur conservation actions.

Regional players

• SEPANSO: Regional environmental federation in Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Comparable as a regional federation covering biodiversity, natural heritage, and environmental advocacy with direct geographic overlap; serves as a counterpart rather than direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/cistude_nature
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cistude-nature

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cistude Nature