On 1 January 2012, the French National Geographic Institute and National Forest Inventory were merged into a national public institution with an administrative function, the National Institute of Geographic and Forest Information (IGN). This new national public institution with an administrative function is placed under the joint supervision of the Ministry of Sustainable Development and the Ministry responsible for Forests.

The mission of the National Institute of Geographic and Forest Information

IGN's mission is to describe, from a geometrical and physical point of view, the surface of the national territory and the use of its land, and to develop and update the perpetual inventory of national forest resources. It produces all the relevant representations of the data collected, and distributes and archives that data. It thus contributes to regional planning, sustainable development and environmental protection, to defense and national security, to risk prevention, to the development of geographic information and to forest policy in France and internationally.

The objectives of the new institute

The purpose of merging the two institutions is to take advantage of the combination of skills of the IGN and the IFN to improve the ability to describe the national territory and the use of its land, as well as the ability to inventory forest resources for the benefit of public policy and regional planning and sustainable development. The new institution retains all the missions of both institutions, and also expands its functions. In particular, the National Institute of Geographic and Forest Information is explicitly entrusted with the implementation of the national infrastructure of geographic information. It is responsible for mapping the forest in the form of a digital repository, implement ecosystem observation and monitoring programs, provide information contributing to the definition, implementation and evaluation of national policies on ecology, energy, forestry, regional planning, climate change prevention and adaptation to this change, and to implement and administer the "Inspire" portal of the State.

Geoportail is the main vehicle for the dissemination of geographic and forestry data as well as digital mapping information. The new institute is assisted by a unique scientific and technical council for its missions in research and development and by an advisory committee from the forest and wood sector. The new institute thus responds to the desire of both supervisory ministries to strengthen their coordination on the issue of sustainable and multifunctional management of the forest.

The statutory missions of the IGN

• Design and build a geodesic infrastructure consistent with international systems, and manage the national geographic, gravity, and elevation reference system;

• Conduct and periodically renew coverage in aerial or satellite imagery of the entire national territory;

• Manage the documentation filed with the national photographic library under the conditions set by decree;

Develop the large-scale repository (RGE)

Establish and update, for the entire territory, the geographic databases and mapping information whose list is set by order of the minister responsible for sustainable development, including the large-scale repository (RGE). The large-scale repository, an integrated geographic information system covering the entire national territory, is composed of digital and interoperable databases describing the themes, geographical names, administrative units, addresses, and land parcels from the cadastral map, transportation networks, hydrography, elevation, land use, orthoimagery and buildings.

Reference resources and forest environments

Establish and maintain, on the mainland, databases on forest resources and environments as well as a geographic repository for describing tree species consistent with the large-scale repository, publish an annual report of the results of the perpetual forest inventory, provide the information necessary to delimit homogeneous forest areas, specifically track and monitor forest ecosystems, produce indicators for sustainable management of French forests in line with international standards, and participate in the work done by conferences and international organizations in the forestry sector, under conditions set by order of the minister responsible for forests;

Monitoring ecosystems and natural heritage

Implement national or international ecosystem observation and monitoring programs under the conditions set by order of the minister responsible for sustainable development; provide relevant information to the ministers concerned for the definition, implementation and evaluation of national policies relating to ecology, energy, forestry, regional planning, prevention of climate change and adaptation to this change, and contribute to the preparation of French positions for international meetings in these areas. Support the minister responsible for sustainable development in the operation of the National Council for Geographic Information and, more generally, for the implementation of the national geographic information policy.

A strong presence on the European and international stage

Disseminate geographic and forest databases as well as the mapping information that it creates, in particular through an INSPIRE portal as defined in Article L. 127-1 of the French Code of the environment. The INSPIRE Directive aims to facilitate access to geographic data relating to the environment, allowing interoperability and sharing in the twenty-seven States of the European Union. This data must be shared between public authorities as part of their duties related to the environment. The directive covers a wide range of spatial data, from basic mapping information such as transport networks and administrative units, to key environmental information, for example on sources of pollution, environmental quality or the location of protected sites.

Train for careers in geography

Direct the activities of the National School of Geographical Sciences under the conditions set by joint order of the ministers responsible for sustainable development and the budget respectively. Conduct research and development activities in its areas of competence. Contribute to the work in France and as part of an international framework concerning the organization and standardization of the infrastructure for geographic information.

Educate, disseminate, advise, and share geographic information

The Institute also makes its data, maps and aerial photographs available for educational purposes, particularly through the service Edugéo, developed in partnership with the Ministry of National Education. This service facilitates understanding of the development of the territories and sustainable development challenges.

In addition, the institute may design and, in accordance with the rules of competition, market any product or service from the data or knowledge acquired through its public service missions.

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