MAB France

What MAB France does

MAB France is a non-profit association (association loi 1901) founded in 1971 and headquartered in Castanet Tolosan, France, serving as the official French national coordinator for UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere programme. It coordinates and manages a network of 18 French UNESCO Biosphere Reserves — including 3 overseas territories and 2 transboundary reserves (with Germany and Italy) — connecting Regional Nature Parks, local authorities, and territory managers across France. The organization also bridges six major public research institutions (CNRS, INRAE, MNHN, Cirad, IFREMER, IRD) with on-the-ground reserve management, supporting a research-management interface through observatories, transdisciplinary collaboration projects (COLLAB2), and territorial ecology initiatives.

MAB France's service portfolio includes the MAB Master's degree (UNESCO Chair at Paul Sabatier University, up to 18 students annually), the Co'MAB youth association and Gener'action working group, the Eco-Player commitment charter and network, the annual Biosphere Reserves Trophies, the #ProudToShare exhibition, and the monthly MAB Webinars. Its technology stack is built around web platforms (mab-france.org, intranet), GIS tools for transboundary reserves, and biodiversity monitoring protocols (environmental DNA, dendrometry, acoustic monitoring, camera traps, LiDAR) deployed via the ORCHAMP observatory. The five-year LIFE Biospher'Adapt project (2025-2030), funded by the European LIFE Climate programme, engages 11 partners across 7 pilot Biosphere Reserves to develop climate adaptation methodologies.

MAB France operates as a non-profit with 8 employees, funded through membership fees (via HelloAsso), European LIFE programme grants, and institutional support from the French Biodiversity Agency and the Ministries of National Education and Research. Its revenue is project-driven and non-commercial; no commercial products are sold. Membership is open to individuals and organizations, and the association reaches its audience through a quarterly newsletter, monthly webinars, social media, and international conferences (EuroMAB, UNESCO MAB World Congress).

Name

MAB France

Legal name

MAB France

Website

https://mab-france.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

MAB France is a non-profit association coordinating France's 18 UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, bridging research institutions, territory managers, youth, and international networks through education, climate adaptation projects, and eco-player engagement programmes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Conservation Network Management

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPADALAA

Climate Policy, Governance & NDC Support

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Climate, Environment & Sustainable Development Programs

SECONDARYBPAGAGAF

Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Environmental & Conservation Organizations

SECONDARYHLAJAKAD

International & Local Implementing NGOs

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Public Health, Government & Regulators/Global Health & Development Agencies (NGOs/Multilaterals)

SECONDARYBPADAAAA

United Nations System & Specialized Agencies

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Multilateral & Intergovernmental Organizations

Keywords

• Biosphere reserve coordination
• Sustainable development programs
• Biodiversity conservation services
• Environmental education training
• UNESCO network management

Headquarters

HQ city

Castanet Tolosan

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Association Membership Fees: MAB France is a non-profit association funded through membership fees. Individuals and organizations can join via HelloAsso. The association coordinates the French Biosphere Reserve network with support from government ministries.
2. European Funding (LIFE Programme): The LIFE Biospher'Adapt project (2025-2030) is funded by the European Union's LIFE Climate programme. MAB France serves as the coordinator of this 11-partner initiative.
3. Government Support: Supported by the French Biodiversity Agency (AFB), the Ministry of National Education, and the Ministry of Research and Higher Education for actions related to education for sustainable development.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

MAB France is the French non-profit association that coordinates the national network of 18 UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, bridges scientific research with territory management, and runs climate adaptation, biodiversity monitoring, education, and youth engagement programs. It delivers the MAB Master's Degree (UNESCO Chair), the LIFE Biospher'Adapt climate adaptation project, the Biosphere Reserves Trophies awards, Eco-Player commitment charter networks, monthly MAB Webinars, the #ProudToShare travelling exhibition, and the quarterly Lettre de la biosphère newsletter.

Product overview

MAB France is a non-profit association that coordinates and manages the French network of 18 UNESCO Biosphere Reserves. Rather than offering a unified software product, the organization provides a portfolio of programs and services including educational offerings (MAB Master's Degree), publications (Lettre de la biosphère newsletter), award programs (Biosphere Reserves Trophies), youth networks (Co'MAB Association), climate adaptation initiatives (LIFE Biospher'Adapt project), eco-player sustainability networks, monthly MAB Webinars, and educational exhibitions. These services support Biosphere Reserve management, sustainable development, biodiversity conservation, and research-management collaboration across France's biosphere territories.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Co'MAB: Youth association bringing together current and graduate students of the MAB Master and all those interested in its activities.
• Gener'action
• LIFE Biospher'Adapt
• Biosphere Reserves' Trophies
• Lettre de la biosphère

Quantifiable outcome

• 686 Biosphere Reserves coordinated globally across 122 countries
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Réserves Naturelles de FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the LIFE Biospher'Adapt project, contributing to climate adaptation methodology development across French Biosphere Reserves.
• Consorci Centre De Ciencia I tecnologia Forestal De Catalunya (Centre II UNESCOMAB, Barcelona)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partner in the LIFE Biospher'Adapt project, based in Barcelona, bringing Mediterranean biosphere reserve expertise to the climate adaptation initiative.
• CNRS (French National Centre for Scientific Research)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the MAB France association. CNRS contributes research expertise in sustainability sciences and hosts Zones Ateliers as part of the COLLAB2 project.
• INRAE (Institut national de recherche pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the MAB France association. INRAE coordinates the COLLAB2 project (2019-2024) on transdisciplinary collaboration between researchers and Biosphere Reserve managers.
• MNHN (Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the MAB France association, contributing natural history and biodiversity research expertise.
• Cirad (Agricultural Research for Development)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the MAB France association, contributing agricultural development and agroecology expertise to Biosphere Reserve projects.
• IFREMER (Institut français de recherche pour l'exploitation de la mer)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the MAB France association, contributing ocean and maritime science expertise.
• IRD (Institut de recherche pour le développement)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the MAB France association, contributing sustainable development research expertise.
• Paul Sabatier University (Université Toulouse III)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosts the MAB Master's degree programme (UNESCO Chair). Contributes academic and research capacity to the French Biosphere Reserve network.
• Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development (Germany)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOffers an International Master Programme 'Biosphere Reserves Management' focusing on UNESCO's World Network and sustainability transformation.
• UNESCOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMAB France is the official French national coordinator for the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere programme. The global network includes 686 Biosphere Reserves in 122 countries.
• EuroMAB NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMAB France actively participates in EuroMAB, a regional network of 292 biosphere reserves and MAB committees across 37 states in Europe and North America. France hosted EuroMAB 2017 in the Dordogne Basin.
• NABU (Naturschutzbund Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman conservation partner in the Vosges du Nord-Pfälzerwald Transboundary Biosphere Reserve, collaborating on bat conservation (Grand Murin) and biodiversity monitoring.
• Autonomous University of Barcelona (Edu-BioMed Erasmus+)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Erasmus+ Edu-BioMed project (2018-2020) for capacity building in education and research in Mediterranean Biosphere Reserves, involving Lebanon, Morocco, Spain, and France.
• Fondation des Alliances françaisesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with MAB France to engage French Alliances worldwide in biodiversity preservation projects and the Trophées de l'éco-responsabilité awards programme.
• Stella Mare (Université de Corse)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarine research platform collaborating with the Réserve Naturelle de Scandola (Falasorma Dui Sevi Biosphere Reserve) on scientific monitoring and training for Parc Naturel Régional de Corse agents.
• National Parks and Regional Nature Parks of FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting bodies of Biosphere Reserves. Most French Biosphere Reserves are managed by Regional Nature Parks, which form the institutional backbone of the network.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature): Global conservation authority producing the IUCN Red List and managing protected-area categories. Sets standards and frameworks that overlap with UNESCO MAB and Biosphere Reserves, putting it in an overlapping governance role.
• Office Français de la Biodiversité (OFB): The French national biodiversity agency (formerly AFB) that financially backs MAB France and oversees state biodiversity policy. Operates a much broader mandate across all French protected areas, making it a larger incumbent ecosystem peer.
• WWF France: Large French conservation NGO addressing biodiversity, climate, and sustainable development — thematically aligned with MAB France but operating at much greater scale and with broader geographic scope.

Direct peers

• Spanish MAB Committee (Comité Español del Programa MaB / OAPN): The Spanish national coordinator for the UNESCO MAB programme, managing 53 Spanish Biosphere Reserves. A sister national committee operating the same mandate on a larger scale; they are a direct structural and operational peer to MAB France and partner in the LIFE Biospher'Adapt consortium.
• UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme: The parent global programme of which MAB France is the official French national coordinator. UNESCO MAB directly defines the framework, designation criteria, and Seville Strategy that MAB France operationalises across 18 French Biosphere Reserves.
• EUROPARC Federation: The pan-European network of protected areas (parks, reserves) covering 400+ members across 40 countries. Like MAB France, EUROPARC convenes protected-area managers, runs capacity-building programmes, and contributes to EU nature-policy work, making it a close functional peer.
• Réserves Naturelles de France: The federation of French nature reserves and LIFE Biospher'Adapt consortium partner. Manages and supports reserves similar to the biosphere reserves MAB France coordinates, with overlapping scientific and conservation activities.
• Fédération des Parcs naturels régionaux de France: Federation of the 58 French Regional Nature Parks, most of which host the country's Biosphere Reserves. Operates the same territorial-stewardship model and shares many reserve-managers in common with MAB France.
• Italian MAB Committee (Comitato Italiano MaB): Italy's national MAB coordinator (Mont Viso transboundary reserve is shared with France). Operates the same UNESCO-mandated role as MAB France, directly partnering in EuroMAB and joint transboundary initiatives.

Emerging players

• LPO France (Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux): Major French wildlife/biodiversity NGO running species-protection and citizen-science programmes that share the conservation and public-engagement remit of MAB France, especially within biosphere reserves.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCMotT1wgiFZ7GzMXh6brloA
• Facebookfacebook.com/manbiospherefrance
• Instagraminstagram.com/man_biosphere.france
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mab-france

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 MAB France