European Rewilding Network
Cousseau dunes and wetlands
Restoring trophic chains through grazers and coprophagous species
Mathieu Reveillas
François Sargos
Bastien Campistron
Bastien Campistron
François Sargos
Natural grazing by feral bovines was once prevalent on the dunes, moors and marshes of the French south-west coast. Historically, local people would go to the dunes every the spring to collect calves for their various needs (traction, meat, etc.). These feral bovines were of a local breed known as the “marine landaise”, which is phenotypically close to traditional breeds of south-west Europe such as the Monchina, Aubrac, etc. During the 19th century, the development of large industrial pine plantations (Pinus pinaster) has deeply changed habitats and landscapes (with soil drainage, coastal dunes fixation) and local people lost access to grazing commons. These deep changes in the area’s ecosystems and social practices (including hunting, tree plantation management, associated laws) led to the widespread elimination of the feral animals.
SEPANSO, which manages a nature reserve around a coastal lagoon behind the dune system (Etant de Cousseau) has been experimenting the restoration of natural grazing with this breed since 1990 when it purchased the last group of Marine Landaise with the help of WWF France. Genetically “Reinforced” by the introgression of a few external genes (in particular with a male of the Monchina race imported from the Spanish Basque Country), this breed was redeveloped as a rustic grazer on the Nature Reserve and on other regional partners’ sites when the reserve’s carrying capacity was judged to be exceeded. The reserve is seeking to grow the area under natural grazing by working with neigbouring forest owners (both public and private), on sandy soils and moors, which is necessary to grow the herd and enable it to fully play its role in the more productive marsh.
The SEPANSO (manager of the reserve) and the Aquitaine Breeds Conservatory jointly assume the administrative and genetic responsibility for this breed, which was identified and recognized by the Ministry of Agriculture in 2018. Our natural grazing initiative therefore serves two purposes: natural grazing in the reserve, and the conservation of the rare breed.
Project:
Cousseau dunes and wetlands
Region:
Gironde
Type of project:
Creating space for wilder nature, Fostering the development of nature based economies, Supporting wildlife comeback
Aim and vision:
The reserve is seeking to grow the area under natural grazing by working with neighbouring forest owners (both public and private), on sandy soils and moors, which is necessary to grow the herd and enable it to fully play its role in the more productive marsh.
Restore functional areas of wet moors and system diversified dunes- as much for the interest of preservation of biodiversity, as for the climate, the cycles of water and carbon.
Uniqueness of the project:
Started in 1990, our project aims to be a field laboratory and aims to be exemplary so that other capable managers can draw inspiration from our experience and extend management methods to larger parts of the Landes de Gascogne coastline. The whole region (1 million ha) having been transformed into a pine forest in the 19th century, a large part of the local biodiversity has disappeared with the modifications of the landscapes and natural habitats. It is therefore essential to promote the restoration of regional ecosystems on a larger scale.
Other activities:
Eco tourism, Education, Recreational activities, Research
Results you aim to accomplish in 10 years from now on:
We want to multiply by 8 to 10 the area currently protected and managed by natural grazing with Marine-Landaise cows. Our goal is to restore natural functioning along a West-East continuum, from the Atlantic Ocean, through beach, dunes, wetlands and finally moorland.
A secondary objective is to let the sex-ratio of the cows balance itself over the years so that they find all the social and feeding behaviors close to the wild.
Deer, roe deer and wild boar are already present. We want to restore populations of wild rabbits for their essential functional role in the diversification of natural habitats. Other key species could be reintroduced, such as the Osprey.
The ultimate goal is to be able to complete the guild of large herbivores with the European Bison!
For large carnivores, we are impatiently awaiting the natural arrival of the wolf.
A secondary objective is to let the sex-ratio of the cows balance itself over the years so that they find all the social and feeding behaviors close to the wild.
Deer, roe deer and wild boar are already present. We want to restore populations of wild rabbits for their essential functional role in the diversification of natural habitats. Other key species could be reintroduced, such as the Osprey.
The ultimate goal is to be able to complete the guild of large herbivores with the European Bison!
For large carnivores, we are impatiently awaiting the natural arrival of the wolf.
Results so far:
- Hydraulic reconnection of 600 ha of wetlands to its watershed and creation of "fish passages" to facilitate exchanges with the ocean or the large ponds of the Médoc (Eel, Brochet, etc.).
- Restoration of 500 ha of peat marshes and wet moors (natural pasture, mowing and replenishment).
- Ongoing forest restoration on 150 ha (reduction of artificial densities of pines planted in the 1960s-70s) .
- Free forest development over 150 ha when the softwood-hardwood mixture is balanced.
- Rescue of an old breed of feral cow: the Marine-Landaise and export of animals to similar sites for management by natural grazing.
- Restoration of 500 ha of peat marshes and wet moors (natural pasture, mowing and replenishment).
- Ongoing forest restoration on 150 ha (reduction of artificial densities of pines planted in the 1960s-70s) .
- Free forest development over 150 ha when the softwood-hardwood mixture is balanced.
- Rescue of an old breed of feral cow: the Marine-Landaise and export of animals to similar sites for management by natural grazing.
Inspirational value:
Use of Water Buffalo and European Bison at multiple sites in Europe.
Experience you would like to share:
Recovery of dung beetle and other coprophagous species in the absence of health treatments on the herbivores; monitoring of grazing behaviour using GPS telemetry; assessment of the ecological impact of natural grazing and capacity to open-up dense shrubland; potential benefits and risks of diversifying the herbivore guild with horses.
Experience you would like to gain:
Analysis of data provided by GPS collars (feeding and spatial behavior depending on the seasons). Management with large wild herbivores such as bison.
Country
France
Start year
1990
Size (ha)
882
Area type
Freshwater lakes, Mixed forests with heath and sandy areas, Wetlands
Natural process
Flooding, Natural grazing
Flagship species
Feral cattle, Otter, Red deer
Mathieu Reveillas
François Sargos
Bastien Campistron
Bastien Campistron
François Sargos
Natural grazing by feral bovines was once prevalent on the dunes, moors and marshes of the French south-west coast. Historically, local people would go to the dunes every the spring to collect calves for their various needs (traction, meat, etc.). These feral bovines were of a local breed known as the “marine landaise”, which is phenotypically close to traditional breeds of south-west Europe such as the Monchina, Aubrac, etc. During the 19th century, the development of large industrial pine plantations (Pinus pinaster) has deeply changed habitats and landscapes (with soil drainage, coastal dunes fixation) and local people lost access to grazing commons. These deep changes in the area’s ecosystems and social practices (including hunting, tree plantation management, associated laws) led to the widespread elimination of the feral animals.
SEPANSO, which manages a nature reserve around a coastal lagoon behind the dune system (Etant de Cousseau) has been experimenting the restoration of natural grazing with this breed since 1990 when it purchased the last group of Marine Landaise with the help of WWF France. Genetically “Reinforced” by the introgression of a few external genes (in particular with a male of the Monchina race imported from the Spanish Basque Country), this breed was redeveloped as a rustic grazer on the Nature Reserve and on other regional partners’ sites when the reserve’s carrying capacity was judged to be exceeded. The reserve is seeking to grow the area under natural grazing by working with neigbouring forest owners (both public and private), on sandy soils and moors, which is necessary to grow the herd and enable it to fully play its role in the more productive marsh.
The SEPANSO (manager of the reserve) and the Aquitaine Breeds Conservatory jointly assume the administrative and genetic responsibility for this breed, which was identified and recognized by the Ministry of Agriculture in 2018. Our natural grazing initiative therefore serves two purposes: natural grazing in the reserve, and the conservation of the rare breed.
Country
France
Start year
1990
Size (ha)
882
Area type
Freshwater lakes, Mixed forests with heath and sandy areas, Wetlands
Natural process
Flooding, Natural grazing
Flagship species
Feral cattle, Otter, Red deer
Specification
Project:
Cousseau dunes and wetlands
Region:
Gironde
Description
Type of project:
Creating space for wilder nature, Fostering the development of nature based economies, Supporting wildlife comeback
Aim and vision:
The reserve is seeking to grow the area under natural grazing by working with neighbouring forest owners (both public and private), on sandy soils and moors, which is necessary to grow the herd and enable it to fully play its role in the more productive marsh.
Restore functional areas of wet moors and system diversified dunes- as much for the interest of preservation of biodiversity, as for the climate, the cycles of water and carbon.
Uniqueness of the project:
Started in 1990, our project aims to be a field laboratory and aims to be exemplary so that other capable managers can draw inspiration from our experience and extend management methods to larger parts of the Landes de Gascogne coastline. The whole region (1 million ha) having been transformed into a pine forest in the 19th century, a large part of the local biodiversity has disappeared with the modifications of the landscapes and natural habitats. It is therefore essential to promote the restoration of regional ecosystems on a larger scale.
Other activities:
Eco tourism, Education, Recreational activities, Research
Achievements
Results you aim to accomplish in 10 years from now on:
We want to multiply by 8 to 10 the area currently protected and managed by natural grazing with Marine-Landaise cows. Our goal is to restore natural functioning along a West-East continuum, from the Atlantic Ocean, through beach, dunes, wetlands and finally moorland.
A secondary objective is to let the sex-ratio of the cows balance itself over the years so that they find all the social and feeding behaviors close to the wild.
Deer, roe deer and wild boar are already present. We want to restore populations of wild rabbits for their essential functional role in the diversification of natural habitats. Other key species could be reintroduced, such as the Osprey.
The ultimate goal is to be able to complete the guild of large herbivores with the European Bison!
For large carnivores, we are impatiently awaiting the natural arrival of the wolf.
A secondary objective is to let the sex-ratio of the cows balance itself over the years so that they find all the social and feeding behaviors close to the wild.
Deer, roe deer and wild boar are already present. We want to restore populations of wild rabbits for their essential functional role in the diversification of natural habitats. Other key species could be reintroduced, such as the Osprey.
The ultimate goal is to be able to complete the guild of large herbivores with the European Bison!
For large carnivores, we are impatiently awaiting the natural arrival of the wolf.
Results so far:
- Hydraulic reconnection of 600 ha of wetlands to its watershed and creation of "fish passages" to facilitate exchanges with the ocean or the large ponds of the Médoc (Eel, Brochet, etc.).
- Restoration of 500 ha of peat marshes and wet moors (natural pasture, mowing and replenishment).
- Ongoing forest restoration on 150 ha (reduction of artificial densities of pines planted in the 1960s-70s) .
- Free forest development over 150 ha when the softwood-hardwood mixture is balanced.
- Rescue of an old breed of feral cow: the Marine-Landaise and export of animals to similar sites for management by natural grazing.
- Restoration of 500 ha of peat marshes and wet moors (natural pasture, mowing and replenishment).
- Ongoing forest restoration on 150 ha (reduction of artificial densities of pines planted in the 1960s-70s) .
- Free forest development over 150 ha when the softwood-hardwood mixture is balanced.
- Rescue of an old breed of feral cow: the Marine-Landaise and export of animals to similar sites for management by natural grazing.
Exchange
Inspirational value:
Use of Water Buffalo and European Bison at multiple sites in Europe.
Experience you would like to share:
Recovery of dung beetle and other coprophagous species in the absence of health treatments on the herbivores; monitoring of grazing behaviour using GPS telemetry; assessment of the ecological impact of natural grazing and capacity to open-up dense shrubland; potential benefits and risks of diversifying the herbivore guild with horses.
Experience you would like to gain:
Analysis of data provided by GPS collars (feeding and spatial behavior depending on the seasons). Management with large wild herbivores such as bison.