Limburg's Herkenrodebossen and Wijerbos to be Reconnected as One Forest Landscape

Two significant forest areas in Belgium's Limburg province, the Herkenrodebossen and the Wijerbos, are set to be reunited, restoring a historical forest landscape. Located in the central Limburg region, encompassing areas around Hasselt, Herk-de-Stad, and Nieuwerkerken, these woods will be connected through a new spatial implementation plan approved by the Flemish government. This initiative promises to add more than 200 hectares of forest and natural habitat.

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Anyone walking through the Herkenrodebossen today sees beautiful pieces of nature, but also how fragmented the landscape has become. With this plan, we are piecing this puzzle back together.

Historically, the Herkenrodebossen and Wijerbos formed one continuous forest. However, over the years, infrastructure like roads and agricultural activities led to the fragmentation of this landscape. The Flemish government's plan aims to systematically reverse this fragmentation. "Anyone walking through the Herkenrodebossen today sees beautiful pieces of nature, but also how fragmented the landscape has become. With this plan, we are piecing this puzzle back together," stated Jo Brouns, the Flemish Minister of Environment and Agriculture.

The plan allocates approximately 135 hectares for new forestation within the Herkenrodebossen, alongside about 70 hectares for additional nature areas. The Wijerbos will also see expansion. Some areas will be reforested, while others will undergo modifications to improve living conditions for specific plant and animal species that are currently struggling. This expansion is crucial for creating a more robust and interconnected ecosystem.

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Forests provide cooling, a healthy soil life, and better water management. They are therefore an answer to drought, heatwaves, and other consequences of climate change.

Minister Brouns highlighted the climate benefits of larger, contiguous forest areas, noting their increased resilience. "Forests provide cooling, a healthy soil life, and better water management. They are therefore an answer to drought, heatwaves, and other consequences of climate change," he explained. For agricultural land that will be converted to forest or nature, the government is actively seeking solutions through land swaps to compensate affected farmers, ensuring a collaborative approach to this significant environmental restoration project.

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We have had intensive consultations with farmers throughout the entire process, and we have actively sought solutions through land exchange.