Spring 2026 Update

• +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 to be engaged in something meaningful and rewarding. This is a long-term project — a hundred-year horizon — and it requires slow, meticulous work. The more care applied, the better the outcomes.

Recent trail-cam videos of badgers, deer, and wild pigs show that we are getting a lot right. Owls and pine martens, as indicator predators, suggest a strong underlying biodiversity.

💧 Water and flowering systems

Flowering plants bring insects. Insects bring predators. Food webs build.

To support this, ponds and swales are being developed to retain water and strengthen the wet side of biodiversity.

• 8 ponds established

• ~250m of swales introduced

The swales experiment is very new. Outcomes remain to be evaluated.

Experience continues to accumulate.

🌾 Donkey Field

The acquisition of Donkey Field adds 2 hectares, bringing the project to 21 hectares (52 acres).

It has a gentle south-facing slope and an excellent pond.

• 5 diversity hotspots installed

• Already beginning to function

It is an encouraging addition — both ecologically and strategically.

🌿 Current activity

Work continues across 17 parcels:

• Planting wildflower seeds

• Maintaining diversity hotspots

• Cutting back brambles

• Managing grazing (goats and horses)

• Quiet observation and forest-bathing

At Canivet, progress across six parcels is now clearly visible. Earlier areas were slow to start, but increased attention has accelerated development.

As always, steady, methodical work is required.

The Forêt Caperdu project represents a transition — toward a deeper understanding of ecological systems.

The only path to the future is through the forest!