Réunion National Park

Réunion National Park
LocationRéunion (France)
Western Indian Ocean
Nearest citySaint-Denis
Coordinates21°09′00″S 55°30′00″E / 21.15000°S 55.50000°E / -21.15000; 55.50000
Area1,053.84 km2 (406.89 sq mi), core area
876.96 km2 (338.60 sq mi), area of voluntary commitment
Established5 March 2007
Governing bodyParcs nationaux de France
Parc national de la Réunion (French)
Official namePitons, cirques and remparts of Reunion Island
CriteriaNatural: (vii)(x)
Reference1317
Inscription2010 (34th Session)
Area105,838 ha (261,530 acres)
Buffer zone11,729 ha (28,980 acres)

Réunion National Park (French: Parc national de La Réunion) is a National Park of France located on the island of Réunion, an overseas department in the western Indian Ocean. Established on 5 March 2007, the park protects the endemic ecosystems of Les Hauts, Réunion's mountainous interior, and covers around 42% of the island. Notable endemic species include the Réunion cuckooshrike and the Reunion Island day gecko.

Plans for a park date back to 1985, and in a public survey in 2004, the communes of Réunion approved the creation of a national park. It officially came into existence in 2007. The park's volcanic landscape, including the Piton de la Fournaise, an active volcano, was designated a World Heritage Site in 2010, under the name "Pitons, cirques and remparts of Reunion Island" for its imposing rugged terrain and exceptional biodiversity. The park's mission, other than preserving landscape and biodiversity, is to share knowledge and welcome visitors, and to work together with local communes. It is a popular destination for hiking and mountaineering.

Controversies have emerged over economic development in the park, notably the exploitation of geothermal power. In 2016, the Regional Council of Réunion had plans to downgrade the national park to a regional nature park to ease tourism development. This was contested by the park authorities and opposition politicians.