The preparation of the ITER site has started on 29 January. Until October 2007, a site of 180 hectares next to the Cadarache site will be prepared for the construction of ITER, under the supervision of the Agence ITER France. Care has been taken to minimize the environmental impact of this work, which is overseen by the Office National du Forêts.

The first stage is the clearing of a zone of 90 hectares (a first tranche of 75 hectares, followed at a later date by another 15 hectares) by a consortium of regional companies (Macagno, Dolza and SMAG-Jaubert) employed by the National Office of Forests. The aim is to keep as much of the ITER site wooded as possible.

Other works are related to the construction of a crossroads, the erection of a provisional fence around the site, the network for fluids under the supervision of the Societe des Eaux de Marseille/Societe du Canal de Provence, etc. The co-ordination of health and safety on this "enclosed and independent" construction site will be carried out by Apave.

In order to preserve the nature area of the ITER site, several measures have been set out before work starts, in order to preserve the rare and/or protected flora and fauna:

• Identification and protection of the zones which are richest in biodiversity.
• Marking the trees to be preserved
• Moving some trees such as old oaks favoured by larva of the Large Capricorn, a species of beetle rare in northern Europe, but very common in the Mediterranean region (where it can be considered as a danger for wooden structures)
• A study for installation of nesting-boxes for bats on the ITER site
• Tree felling to be carried out before the end of March, outside the nesting period

Tree-felling on the first 75 hectares will be carried out before the end of March 2007. Work to enable the erection of a provisional fence should be completed in April 2007.

A detailed list of of questions and answers on the site preparation work can be found here.