Domaine du Costil in Normandy relies on undisturbed natural development

Sap-en-Auge – 12.07.2026: An unusual approach to protecting biodiversity is being tested at Domaine du Costil in the Orne department: Large parts of the approximately 170-hectare site are no longer used for agriculture or managed for forestry. The landscape is intended to develop as independently as possible. The project of entrepreneur Rodolphe Landemaine is the focus of a recent report by Franceinfo.

The term natural development refers to a conservation approach in which human intervention is severely limited. Forests, hedgerows, meadows, bodies of water and wetlands can change according to natural processes. The aim is not a predetermined landscape appearance, but the restoration of ecological dynamics and the creation of refuges for animals, plants and fungi.

According to his own account, Landemaine initially acquired the site with support from the Fonds Demain sur Terre and subsequently expanded it. The area is located in the Pays d’Auge, a bocage landscape of hedgerows, small woodland areas and pastures. According to the project operator, specialists are to document the development of flora and fauna. The Domaine Sauvage Le Costil association also organizes educational activities for visitors and people from the region.

Natural development does not mean that an area is left entirely to itself. Particularly at the outset, measures such as securing land, restoring ponds or limiting disruptive uses may be necessary. Afterward, management is intended to be reduced to a minimum. Scientific observation remains important in order to track changes in species and habitats.

Normandy already has a regional program for areas of natural development. The Conservatoire d’espaces naturels de Normandie connects initiatives there that seek to allow natural processes to play a greater role. This approach complements other forms of nature conservation, such as protected areas subject to targeted management. Which method is appropriate depends on the habitats concerned and the species found there.

The project in Sap-en-Auge is also part of a broader debate on the use of rural areas. While agriculture, forestry, housing construction and transport compete for land, supporters advocate for larger, contiguous refuges. They point out that structurally diverse landscapes with hedgerows, bodies of water and old trees can provide habitat for many species. Natural development, however, replaces neither statutory species protection nor the management of particularly sensitive biotopes.

For Domaine du Costil, the key question remains whether long-term observation will demonstrate the expected ecological effects. The initiators see the site as a practical example of how private landownership can contribute to nature restoration. The current report therefore once again draws attention to an undertaking that has for several years relied on lasting land protection and restrained human use.