"Forested area in Flanders increased by 5 percent"
Two years ago, the wooded area in Flanders was mapped using digital air photography, in a project called "Boswijzer". This was a first for Flanders. All trees taller than 3 metres and covering at least 0.5 hectares together, were mapped as woodland. According to the data collected two years ago, Flanders had 177,000 hectares of wooded area. Now, this has increased by some 5 percent to 185,000 hectares, the minister claims citing the latest research.
Every Flemish province has more woodlands compared to 2011, the study reveals. The biggest increase (in absolute figures) can be seen in Antwerp (+2,798 hectares), while East Flanders enjoyed the biggest increase in relative figures (+10.3 percent).
"These woodlands are the result of private initiatives or government reforestation projects", explains Ms Schauvliege. "Flanders historically has a lot of industry and urban space. However, with the open area that is left, we try to create new woodlands or we give subsidies to local authorities."
Bos+ is not impressed
The environmental organisation Bos+ finds it hard to believe that Flanders has more woods now. "We would like to see these maps", Bert De Somviele of Bos+ told the VRT. "If it's true, it would be big news. We haven't had such an increase in the last two decades. 8,000 hectares is really impressive."
However, Bos+ remains rather sceptical for the moment. "We are very much involved in reforestation projects. I can count the projects boasting more than 10 hectares of new woodland each year, on one hand."
Bos+ also points out that the Boswijzer does have its restrictions. "You will see that parts of rich urban areas like in Sint-Martens-Latem and Brasschaat have been marked as wooded areas."