NORD NATURE CHICO MENDES

What NORD NATURE CHICO MENDES does

Nord Nature Chico Mendès is a French non-profit association (loi 1901) headquartered in Lille, Hauts-de-France, operating since 1990 (officially constituted as an association on January 13, 1995). The organization delivers nature education, ecological consulting, participatory restoration workdays, and professional training across the Nord and Pas-de-Calais departments, managing 14+ rehabilitated ecological sites on which more than 85,000 trees have been planted over its history. Its service portfolio is organized around six core offerings: Animations nature (€265 per 2-hour session), Formations (€200–€700/day), Accompagnement écologique (field studies, diagnostics, management plans), Projets phares (bespoke multi-service packages), Espaces Chico Mendès (the managed site network), and a free pedagogical resource library. There is no proprietary technology platform; the underlying "technology" consists of expert naturalist methodologies, participatory science protocols (PROPAGE, Florilèges, OAB) inherited from national programs (MNHN, Vigie-Nature/OFB), and a co-construction approach with clients.

The business model is a hybrid of individual giving (membership tiers from €10 to €3,000), professional services fees (animations, training, consulting), and institutional grants from public bodies (DREAL Hauts-de-France, FEDER, Agence de l'eau Artois Picardie, Fonds Vert, FDVA) and private foundations (Crédit Mutuel Nord Europe, Fortil, MAIF, Sharing my Planet). The association serves five primary customer segments: educational institutions (schools, daycare), municipalities and collectivities (ecological diagnostics and management plans), medico-social establishments (IME, CHRS via GapAS), families and the general public (open animations), and — more recently — farmers and agricultural actors (OAB program). Strategic partnerships with Université de Lille, Voies Navigables de France, Port Autonome de Dunkerque, and Réseau Colline-acepp enable cross-sector delivery. The organization operates with a small salaried team of approximately 5 employees, a 7-member volunteer Board of Directors (Conseil d'administration), and a broad volunteer base mobilized for participatory chantiers. Revenue is not publicly disclosed, and the association is not publicly traded.

Name

NORD NATURE CHICO MENDES

Legal name

Association Nord Nature Chico Mendes

Website

https://nn-chicomendes.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Nord Nature Chico Mendès is a Lille-based French non-profit association delivering nature education, ecological consulting, participatory restoration workdays, and professional training to schools, municipalities, medico-social establishments, and families across Hauts-de-France.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Education and Ecological Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Support Activities for Forestry (1153), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation (BPAGAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental Interpretation & Ranger-Led Education Programs (Visitor Education) (THAAAOAJ), Ecological Restoration Planning & Monitoring (Habitat, Wetland, Stream) (EUAHAHAF)

Keywords

• Nature education
• Ecological consulting
• Biodiversity restoration
• Environmental training
• Participatory science

Headquarters

HQ city

Lille

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees and Donations: Annual membership fees from supporters, plus voluntary donations. Membership starts at €10 with various impact levels (€10 for 1m² prairie restoration, €20 for tit nest box, €50 for 5 people sensitized, €600 for 100 trees planted, €3000 for 20m² pond creation).
2. Nature Animations: Nature discovery outings for various audiences (schools, families, social centers, disability organizations). Priced at €265 per animation including materials and travel within 25km of Lille.
3. Professional Training: Training programs for professionals in nature animation or differentiated green space management. Pricing varies: Grandeur nature at €200 (individual) or €700/day (professional), Gestion différenciée on quote basis.
4. Ecological Consulting: Expert ecological services including field studies, ecological diagnostics, advice for biodiversity-friendly development, and participatory nature workshops for organizations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Nord Nature Chico Mendès is a French non-profit association that delivers nature education animations, ecological consulting, professional training, and participatory biodiversity restoration projects across the Hauts-de-France region. It manages 14+ rehabilitated natural spaces (Espaces Chico Mendès), offers 2-hour nature discovery sessions for schools, families, and medico-social establishments, and provides ecological diagnostics and management plans for municipalities and institutions.

Product overview

Nord Nature Chico Mendès is a non-profit association ( loi 1901) based in Lille, France, operating for over 35 years. Rather than a software platform, it offers a portfolio of environmental education and nature animation services organized around six core offerings: (1) Animations nature — outdoor immersive nature discovery sessions; (2) Formations — training programs in nature animation and differentiated green space management; (3) Accompagnement écologique — ecological consulting including field studies, diagnostics, and management plans; (4) Projets phares — comprehensive tailor-made projects combining multiple services; (5) Espaces Chico Mendès — a network of rehabilitated natural spaces across Hauts-de-France; and (6) Catalogue de ressources — free-access pedagogical resources including identification guides and teaching tools. These services are complemented by Chantiers participatifs (participatory workdays). The association does not offer a software product, API, or digital platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Animations nature Outdoor nature immersion sessions lasting approximately 2 hours, offering sensory, playful, and scientific approaches to discover biodiversity, trees, birds, insects, ponds, and seasonal themes for all ages. Priced at €265 per animation including materials and travel within 25km of Lille.
• Formations (Training Programs) Training programs in nature animation or differentiated green space management, alternating theory and practice with field experimentation. Includes modules on biodiversity, ecological management, agricultural biodiversity observatory, and early childhood nature education. Priced at €200 individual rate or €700/day for professional training.
• Accompagnement écologique (Ecological Consulting) Ecological consulting services including field studies, naturalist surveys, ecological diagnostics, differentiated management plans, amenagement advice, and participatory nature workdays for local authorities and institutions.
• Projets phares (Flagship Projects) Comprehensive tailor-made projects combining nature animation, participatory workdays, consultation, training, ecological consulting, awareness-raising, and festive celebrations, co-constructed with establishments to reconnect people with nature.
• Espaces Chico Mendès (Ecological Spaces Network) Network of 14+ rehabilitated natural spaces across Hauts-de-France (including Billy-Berclau, Bourghelles, Lens, Loon-Plage, Hantay, Wambrechies and others) created through participatory projects transforming abandoned land into biodiversity-rich areas.
• Catalogue de ressources (Resource Library) Free-access pedagogical resources including identification guides, teaching tools, reports, graphic resources, and partner resources on nature education and ecological management.
• Chantiers participatifs (Participatory Workdays) Collective workdays creating biodiversity-friendly zones through tree planting, pond creation, living willow structures, wildflower seeding, nest box installation, and habitat creation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 85,000+ trees planted across ecological spaces
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Voies Navigables de FrancecoreOthersOwner of land at Billy-Berclau site (former sludge and earth deposit) and Sainte-Marie-Kerque site. Provides land access for ecological space development and rehabilitation projects.
• Communes of Bourghelles, Boussois, Aire-sur-la-Lys, Hantay, Haspres, Herrin, Lens, Proville, Sainghin-en-Mélantois, Saint-Venant, WambrechiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partners that own land and collaborate on Espace Chico Mendès development. Each commune provides space for ecological projects and participates in co-construction of nature education initiatives.
• Sharing my PlanetminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner organization supporting biodiversity projects and environmental initiatives.
• GapAScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederation of associations supporting people with disabilities. Partners on IME projects including La Pépinière in Loos and CHRS La Phalecque, integrating nature into therapeutic environments.
• Colline-aceppcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of family childcare providers. Collaboration on outdoor daycare ('crèche dehors') projects and training for early childhood educators to take young children outside.
• Université de LillecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for campus ecological transition. Collaboration includes management plans, differentiated management training, and participation in PUP+ (Urban Butterfly Park) program research.
• Port Autonome de DunkerquecoreOthersPort authority owning land at Loon-Plage site. Provides space for ecological rehabilitation and nature development projects.
• Sauvegarde et Protection des OiseauxminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBird conservation organization collaborating on biodiversity projects, particularly at Billy-Berclau site.
• Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational museum providing the Agricultural Biodiversity Observatory (OAB) program and protocols for participatory biodiversity monitoring. Supplies scientific framework and data platform.
• Vigie-Nature (OFB, MNHN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCitizen science program providing PROPAGE and Florilèges protocols for butterfly and urban meadow monitoring. Supports regional data analysis and training.
• Conservatoire d'espaces naturels des Hauts-de-FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional natural space conservatory supporting ecological projects and providing technical expertise for space management.
• FRENEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational federation organizing 'Sortir!' (Going Out) encounters - annual gatherings for nature education professionals to share practices and advance outdoor education.
• Espace Naturel Lille Métropole (ENLM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMetropolitan natural space organization managing Wambrechies site as part of the green corridor of Lille Métropole, providing site maintenance.
• Ville de SteenvoordecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipality collaborating on Pics VertS project for citizen involvement in green corridor development and biodiversity protection.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Fondation Nicolas Hulot: Major national environmental foundation funding and running nature-education and biodiversity programs. Comparable in education-and-engagement focus, larger in reach and funding base.
• Office Français de la Biodiversité (OFB): National public agency supporting biodiversity protection, citizen science and ecological expertise. Partner and partial competitor for grant funding and ecological expertise across France.
• Noé Conservation: National biodiversity NGO running participatory science (PROPAGE, Florilèges) and habitat restoration projects. Directly comparable in citizen-science frameworks and rehabilitation approach.
• Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux (LPO): National bird and biodiversity NGO with regional delegations running similar nature animations, citizen-science (PROPAGE/Florilèges) and training. Comparable in offering, broader in scale and geographic reach.
• France Nature Environnement (FNE): National federation of regional environmental associations and parent lineage of Nord Nature Chico Mendès. Comparable mission around biodiversity advocacy, education and ecological consulting.
• WWF France: International conservation organization with active French operations covering biodiversity, education and habitat restoration. Comparable mission, far broader funding and geographic scale.

Direct peers

• Union Régionale CPIE Hauts-de-France: Regional network of Centres Permanents d'Initiatives pour l'Environnement offering nature education, animations and training. Closely comparable in target audiences (schools, families, municipalities) and service offering.
• Conservatoire d'espaces naturels des Hauts-de-France: Regional natural-space conservatory covering the same Hauts-de-France territory and operating as a strategic partner on ecological projects. Directly comparable in mission around land stewardship and biodiversity.

Emerging players

• Humanité & Biodiversité: French environmental think tank and advocacy organization focused on biodiversity policy. Comparable mission space with stronger policy-advocacy emphasis and weaker field delivery.
• Tela Botanica: French botany and biodiversity network supporting participatory science and educational resources. Comparable citizen-science and pedagogical-resource angle, though more digital/plant-focused.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nord-nature-chico-mendes

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 NORD NATURE CHICO MENDES