The Flemish Agency for Nature and Forests will soon begin a nature restoration project in the Korteduinen, part of the Binnenduinen area in Knokke-Heist, West Flanders.
Under the project, dying pines and white poplars will be removed to make way for new dune grasslands and moss dunes, which are valuable to the ecosystem.
The Korteduinen currently contains a piece of forest with little natural value, featuring many dead pines and invasive white poplar, which outcompetes dune grassland.
The Agency, which owns the land, aims to clear the old plants to allow the dune grasslands and moss dunes to thrive and give rise to new growth, which will connect with existing dune grasslands, creating a larger area.
“Rare plants like yellow sunrose, cross-leaved bedstraw and wild thyme will flourish here,” said a representative of the Agency for Nature and Forests.
The new grasslands will be protected through a nature-focused grazing management plan in collaboration with a local farmer.
“In the Binnenduinen, we aim for a varied landscape with forests, dune grasslands, pools, and moist dune valleys,” the representative said.
This mosaic of habitats will not only enhance biodiversity but also contribute to the area’s scenic beauty.
