Vanille & fruits de La Réunion - Quentin & Béatrice DONNAY

Béatrice's family history has been linked to Réunion's "black gold" for three generations. In 2014, the Conservatoire du Littoral allowed Béatrice and Quentin to manage a 5-hectare plot in the Bois Blanc forest in Sainte-Rose. In this area, which has been completely overrun by jamrose, the couple are carrying out a titanic ecological restoration project, replacing invasive exotic species with native and endemic woods.

In addition to producing vanilla, letchis and lontan in agroforestry, it's their passion for Reunion's biodiversity that inspires them to innovate and approach the forest differently. As Quentin says: " Even if we won [the gold medal in the] trophée de l'innovation en agroécologie, in the end, all we did was revisit the past. [...] The only thing my wife Béatrice and I have brought to the table is our botanical culture and our love for the ecological restoration of the Bois de couleurs forest. On Reunion Island, vanilla plants grow on both exotic and endemic species: Quentin and Béatrice prefer native species, a choice more respectful of the traditional practices of growing on bois de chandelles or vacoas.

This approach shows how agriculture can coexist harmoniously with natural ecosystems, at the cost of meticulous work, without mechanization or chemicals. "If I work by hand, I can select an osto wood seedling, a gaulette wood, or even a red palm. And that's something only human hands can achieve. Here, we don't need to plant to restore the forest, we just let nature take its course. In the end, we're just repairing the damage done by history (Quentin Donnay)

To diversify their production, Béatrice and Quentin relied on Thérésien Cadet's pyramid of habitats and natural environments on Reunion Island. Above all, they observed their plot and identified the plants already present.

The couple's working methods reflect their deep-rooted convictions, aiming to produce without destroying and to leave a healthy land for future generations. This approach, though demanding, is a source of pride for the couple, who insist on remaining independent, making their own inputs and controlling the process from production to marketing.

Convinced that the evolution of agricultural practices requires a collective approach, Béatrice and Quentin have been involved for several years in an associative project on Sainte Rose. By encouraging the sharing of knowledge and skills, they have succeeded in bringing together farmers from different sectors (vanilla, sugar cane, etc.) in what became, in 2023, a "groupement d'intérêt économique et environnemental" (GIEE). A way for these producers, committed to sustainable land management, to show that preserving native and endemic species and diversifying crops can lead to more resilient and prosperous production.