On Tuesday 27th June, together with the DNF, we invited our Flemish forestry colleagues to discover a Trees for Future arboretum in Hamoir and the historical arboretum in Seraing. The meeting, which brought together representatives of the ANB, the bosgroepen, natuurinvest and a nurseryman, was organised as part of the Klimaatbomen project run by the KUleuven, in which the SRFB and the Bosgroep ZuydNederland are partners. The aim of the project is to draw up a list of promising tree species to help Flemish forests adapt to climate change.
As part of the Trees for Future scheme, we were able to see the remarkable growth and health of the plantations planted in 2019-2020. Atlas cedar, Turkish fir, Nordmann fir, Corsican pine, Koekelare pine, Turkey oak and downy oak have attracted a great deal of interest. The possibilities of introducing these species under Flemish conditions were discussed. In the afternoon, at the arboretum of Seraing, we were able to see the full potential of certain Mediterranean species, such as Nordmann fir and Turkey oak, and the definite deterioration of North American species such as Vancouver fir (Abies grandis).
Many thanks to the DNF (Eleonore Scholzen, comptoir forestier) for helping us to organise this very interesting day and thanks to the ANB for supporting this project and to the KULeuven and BGZuydNederland for involving the SRFB in this vital research for the future of Flemish, Belgian and North-West European forests. Thanks to the participants for the extremely rewarding interactions.