The 1st International Symposium on the Conservation and Restoration of Gardens of Historical Interest, was held on Monday through Friday, September 13th through 18, 1971.  Held on the grounds at Fontainebleu, with trips to Versailles, Vaux-le-Vicomte, Chantilly, Parc de Vaìlière à Mortefontaine, and Parc de Ferrières.

This symposium also marked the beginning of the activities of the newly formed ICOMOS Scientific Committee of Historic Gardens, the pre-cursor to the ISCCL.  Organized as a joint committee with members from IFLA, the International Federation of Landscape Architects, the committee relied on the expertise of both landscape architects who specialized in historic gardens and their particular conservation issues and the various disciplines of heritage conservation professionals who focused on the issues of historic gardens in ICOMOS.

The event was organized by ICOMOS and IFLA (International Federation of Landscape Architects), and held under the direction of ICOMOS with the President and Secretary General of ICOMOS and the French National Committee leading the event. Attendees included René Pechere as the representative of IFLA, Invited Experts from Italy, Czechoslovakia, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, the USSR, Hungary, Spain, Sweden, and Japan. Representatives from international organizations including UNESCO, Europa Nostra, the International Union of Architects, and observers from the ICOMOS National Committees of France, Netherlands, Italy, Czechoslovakia, Luxembourg, and other members of the French National Committee were in attendance. A total of 42 participants, seven observers, 3 spouses and 3 interpreters attended.