Life Delta improves water management and nature in Schulensbroek and Webbekomsbroek
What and why?
Over time, human activity has made a strong mark on this landscape. By diverting and embanking watercourses, the area was reclaimed to form an extensive complex of hay meadows. In recent decades, however, the expansive meadow landscape with valuable grasslands was largely lost due to too intensive management, the planting of poplar plantations and the construction of the Schulensmeer Lake.
This also affected the role of the landscape as a natural water storage facility with high groundwater levels and regular flooding and altered how the area will appear in the future from the viewing platform at the 't Vlootfunctie visitor centre. This situation is not only detrimental to humans, but also to nature. Life DELTA aims to restore the habitats of endangered species, focusing on safe and multifunctional water management. This will also immediately increase the amenity value.
The purpose of LIFE Delta
In this project, we are focusing on a number of specific target species and their habitats, including grasslands, reedbeds and wetlands and ponds and watercourses, the majority of which are protected as European habitats. To that end, a range of specific remedial actions has been proposed.
- Restoring a more natural water balance
- Excavating the sand deposits
- Developing and restoring reed marsh and wetlands
- Rehabilitating canal systems
- Restoring the landscape
- Enhancing the amenity value of the area by establishing hiking trails, angling facilities, etc....
LIFE Delta in Europe
LIFE Delta is being carried out on behalf of the European Commission within the LIFE Integrated Projects Programme.
| Project partners | |
|---|---|
| Belgium |
Flanders Environment Agency (VMM) Agentschap Natuur en Bos Natuurpunt Regionaal Landschap Haspengouw en Voeren |
Project type: Life Projects Programme
Project duration: 01/09/2016 - 31/12/2021
