One of the recurring experiments at Forêt Caperdu has been the creation of wildflower meadows. Like many people interested in restoring biodiversity, we began with the idea that a meadow could be established by sowing the right seeds in the right place. The reality has been rather more complicated. This spring we tried once again to establish wildflowers in several prepared areas. Some seeds were sown directly and others were started in pots before planting out. The results w

+2 hectares added — Forêt Caperdu now spans 21 hectares (52 acres) 8 ponds and ~250m of swales strengthening water retention Shift toward a flowering, biodiverse system Wildlife activity rising across the project 🧭 Ranger Report The first warm days of spring are here, and the project looks very good — burgeoning in the sunshine. Last year’s spring was a drought; this year seems much better. It could be a tremendous year for biodiversity. Let’s not forget: we are lucky t

I’ve had a long, simmering, desire to establish a wild flower meadow. The challenge is how to achieve this without tractors (adhering to our ‘No gas / petrol’ philosophy). This is the marketing image for the seed mix I purchased! There are a few challenges! Primarily, the existing grass, (which is an intentional, planted, monoculture, not just a default of what grows absent anything else!), will out compete wildflowers. This can be overcome with persistent mowing which of cou

To support amphibians (frogs, newts), damselflies, & aquatic plants, our goal is to create a small pond network Key design points: 3 - 4 Ponds: With 50 to 100 m separation Surface area variety: From 10m² to 100m² with larger ones potentially attracting mammals too Depth variety: shallow margins (~10–30 cm) for emergent plants and amphibian spawning; deeper zones (~60 cm to 80cm) for water retention through dry periods. Vegetation: native emergent species, floating mats, and

Practical, high-impact, interventions for Foret Caperdu to Achieve Pond network (small, fish-free, diverse depths): supports amphibians, damselflies, aquatic plants like Aldrovanda if water chemistry is right. Retain/plant native hedgerows and shrub edge: supports bats (foraging corridors), birds, dormice/higher invertebrate diversity. Deadwood retention & standing dead timber: key for beetles, fungi, some bats, amphibianå shelter. Flower-rich, rotational meadow strips:

I tried an experiment today to use AI to help enhance our biodiversity plan. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) ...

Working for a Forest of Flowers If I had more time (or an extra pair of hands!), I’d love to make a YouTube video on our Diversity...

This year, we designed a simple, mobile‐friendly survey so anyone can quickly capture key indicators of our rewilding progress. Here’s...

We have started thousands of trees in this forest project, but many (most!) of them have died. What happens to them?

Biodiversity Milestones This year, Forêt Caperdu made significant strides in enhancing and tracking biodiversity. A sustained effort...