Three Brussels organisations receive WWF local funds to protect nature

WWF-Belgium selected 47 local projects to fund that aim to protect nature across Belgium, of which three are located in Brussels.

The non-profit organisation's "Fund for Nature near Us" distributed a total of €200,000, with each project receiving up to €5,000.

"It is very satisfying to see the enthusiasm of the people who manage the projects on the ground and to be able to give them this small financial incentive so that they can have a direct positive effect on nature," Delphine Delire, project manager of the "Fund for Nature near Us" said.

"Moreover, the diversity of the projects submitted proves that it is possible to work for the protection of nature in Belgium, both in the cities and in the countryside."

From bees to kayaks

One of the Brussels projects is the initiative by La Belle Abeille to improve the habitat of wild pollinators in the Josaphat park located on the border between Schaerbeek and Evere. According to a study from March 2021, 60.5% of the 210 species recorded regionally were found in Friche Josaphat.

Another Brussels project awarded funds by WWF-Belgium is Canal It Up — a local organisation that brings volunteers on the canal in kayaks to pick up trash.

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The organisation also advocates for city initiatives to keep the canal clean like the green islands and tracking sewage overflows. Canal It Up is currently working on implementing a permanent barrier to stop the trash that ends up in the canal and remove it from the water.

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The third organisation in Brussels selected for the funds is PCS Albert, a social cohesion project in Square Albert that sets up activities for the community to come together and learn. One of its main initiatives, which will be receiving the funding, is creating an urban community garden and educating locals about healthy food. According to the WWF-Belgium local nature fund, the money will go toward increasing the planting area of the square by installing wild hedges, as well as a project to recover rainwater falling on the roof of the school. The different initiatives that received funding from WWF can be found on this interactive map.