Discovery walk at the Lenoncourt salt concession

Novacarb inaugurates its educational panels: a discovery walk at the heart of the Lenoncourt salt concession

On May 20, 2026, Novacarb, a subsidiary of Groupe Humens, organised a public discovery walk on the Lenoncourt salt concession. The event brought together around twenty elected officials and residents from Cerville and Lenoncourt for an evening walk across this unique industrial and ecological site.

What is the Lenoncourt salt concession?

The Lorraine subsoil holds thick layers of rock salt, inherited from a tropical sea that covered the region 230 million years ago. It is from this deposit that Novacarb extracts, through controlled dissolution the brine that supplies the Madeleine plant for the production of sodium carbonate and bicarbonate. This carefully managed operation relies on an extensive extraction method developed in the 1990s, ensuring long-term ground stability.

Why educational panels on the concession?

Since 2020, Novacarb has been managing the wetland  with local communes, the Neomys ecology association, and grid operator RTE. A formalised management plan sets out the guidelines and concrete actions to be implemented on the ground.

One of the actions identified for 2025 was focused on public awareness: the creation of educational panels, designed by l'Atelier Vert, presenting the salt extraction process, the site's natural habitats, and local biodiversity. This project led by Flore Parisot, Salt Production and Natural Environments Manager at Novacarb, reflects the Group's commitment to transparency and engagement with the territories in which it operates.

What can be observed on the concession?

Paradoxically, industrial activity has helped preserve a remarkable biodiversity on the site. Wetlands, sustainably managed woodlands, wet meadows, and hedgerows form a mosaic of habitats appreciated by a wide variety of species. More than 100 bird species have been recorded on the concession, including the Collared Flycatcher (one of the rarest birds in Lorraine) and the Red Kite. The Great Crested Newt, the European Wildcat, Bechstein's Bat, and the Large Copper butterfly, strictly linked to wetland habitats, are further testament to the site's ecological richness.

Various improvements have been made to support and enhance this biodiversity: topsoil removal operations to encourage wetland vegetation, creation of ponds, installation of nest boxes and bat roosts, and management of invasive species such as Japanese Knotweed.

An evening built around exchange

The walk was co-led by Flore Parisot and Yann Chassatte, a naturalist from l'Atelier Vert, who guided participants through the fauna and flora observable on the site at dusk. The evening provided an opportunity to explain Novacarb's operations in concrete terms, present the environmental initiatives underway, and strengthen ties with elected officials and residents of the neighbouring communes. The walk was punctuated by Yann’s anecdotes about edible plants and coexisting with the species around us (martens, Asian hornets, caterpillars, invasive alien species). It was also an opportunity to showcase our surface facilities and answer participants’ questions about our farming methods.

This inauguration reflects Groupe Humens' commitment to CSR: combining industrial performance with environmental responsibility, and involving local stakeholders in its approach.