The Ain department's regional government created the 'Réserve Départementale Ornithologique et Botanique de la Dombes' (Dombes area ornithological and botanical nature reserve) in 1963.

The initiative was the work of two people with a passion for the Dombes region: Professor Lebreton and Dr. Vaucher.

Thanks to these two men, the Dombes—land of a thousand ponds—was endowed with a protected natural space.

In 1965 the regional government decided to create an ornithological park open to the public.  The Park was inaugurated in 1970 by Mr. Jean Saint Cyr, Senator and Mayor of the town of Villars-les-Dombes and President of the Conseil Général of the Ain department.  He inaugurated what has become the Ain's major tourist attraction and one of the finest ornithological and botanical parks in Europe.  In 1997, the Conseil Général approved a 5-year plan to enhance this already exceptional pedagogical and scientific tool.  The reserve was enlarged from 223 to 380 hectares, giving it an even more important role in protecting the natural environment of the Dombes wetlands.  At the same time, work was begun to provide the park with truly modern infrastructures.

Other changes were implemented gradually, creating right before our eyes a new and even more attractive and interesting park, with an exceptionally rich collection of birds.

In addition to managing the part of the park accessible to the public, NaturAin also cares for the 270 hectares of the Dombes Nature Reserve, which is a unique biotope in the midst the '1000 ponds' Dombes region.

This unique site has:

 - 140 ha of ponds

- 64 ha of prairie

- 40 ha of woods

 As part of our management of the reserve, we carry out traditional farming activities such as raising cattle (a herd of about 40 animals) and fish culture (particularly carp).