The Tour du Valat was created in 1954 by Luc Hoffmann, a naturalist and ornithology enthusiast. Located in the heart of the Camargue region, the Tour du Valat is a private research institute and a documentary resource center unique in the Mediterranean region. It mainly aims to better understand wetlands in order to learn how to reasonably manage them with a concern for the conservation of the biodiversity of these areas of essential ecological value. The research area of the Tour du Valat encompasses natural habitats representative of the rivers and lagoons of Camargue over a territory of 6,550 acres (2,650 ha), 4,560 acres (1,845 ha) of which are listed as a Regional Nature Reserve. Featured: Antoine Arnaud, Director of the Tour du Valat