Description
Refuges LPO is the scheme of the French bird protection league LPO for turning a garden, a balcony, a school or a company site into a refuge for wildlife, by signing a charter and following its advice.
The LPO was founded in 1912 and has been BirdLife International’s partner in France since 1995. The first refuge was created in the Nord in 1921. Today there are more than 59,000, covering over 68,000 hectares: 53,400 private gardens and balconies, 4,800 schools and other establishments, 890 local authority sites and 400 companies (figures from June 2025).
Joining means signing a charter that excludes hunting and fishing on the site and commits to protect it from pollution, to make room for soil life and wild plants, and to cut its environmental impact. For a garden or a balcony, registration costs €35 the first year and €15 a year after that. The garden kit holds a sign, a tit nest box and three guides; the balcony kit has a sign, a water dish, a packet of wildflower seed and three guides. Registration is done online, and the LPO’s guides explain what to plant and how to leave corners wild.
Strengths
- The scheme works at every scale, from a balcony to a town park, with a kit adapted to each.
- The €35 fee includes a kit with a sign, a nest box or water dish, and three guides.
- More than 59,000 refuges and 68,000 hectares show how far the network already reaches.
Weaknesses
- The charter is a voluntary commitment with no legal value, and no regular check of the sites was found.
- The charter summary doesn’t name pesticides explicitly, only pollution in general.
- Schools, councils and companies have separate conditions, and their prices were not checked.
Who it is for
Gardeners and balcony owners in France who want to give birds, insects and hedgehogs a place, and schools or town councils looking for a framework to start.
Sources
- LPO: create a refuge, Refuges LPO presentation, in my garden, on my balcony, history (checked November 2026)