Brabant will be serious about planting new forest in the coming years. By 2030, 13,000 hectares of forest must be added. That is about 20,000 football fields. In addition, 60,000 hectares of existing forest must be given a significant boost. Brabant has reserved just under 50 million euros for the first battle.
More and more attention is being paid to the forest. Not only for a nice walk or relaxing, but also because we now know how important the forest is for the retention of carbon dioxide (CO2) and the capture and retention of water. But things are not going really well with the Brabant forests.
More animals and plants
Forest ecologist Etiënne Thomassen knows all about it. He works at Bosgroep Zuid and sees the forest change.
“Climate change, desiccation and nitrogen have seriously affected the Brabant forests. Temperatures are rising and the trees have to deal with this. Some of the species we have here cannot cope at all. About 30 percent of the The trees we have here won’t be able to handle that. And the acidification of the soil is getting worse. Nutrients are washing away.”
That is why, according to the province, large-scale recovery measures are needed. “Making 60,000 hectares of existing forest healthy is urgently needed, especially on the drier sandy soils, and we have to hurry,” says provincial administrator Hagar Roijackers. “The creation of new forest protects against the effects of climate change and allows for more animal and plant species.”
Scarce land
Brabant has now established the Brabant Trees Action Plan. It describes exactly how Brabant, together with partners, wants to realize this strong ambition. Because it not only costs a lot of money, it also requires land. And let there be a lack of that.
Space is scarce in Brabant. Just planting new forest will therefore not be very easy. So smart combinations with housing, climate and agriculture are being looked at. Think of agroforestry. A combination of agriculture and forestry on the same plot is good for the soil and for CO2 storage. The shade and shelter provided by the trees makes the agricultural crop less sensitive to extreme temperatures or precipitation.
Giving existing forests a boost is a lot easier. But that requires a lot of money. Until March 2023, the province wants to realize a total of 2,500 hectares of new forest and to revitalize no less than 10,000 hectares of forest. That’s what the $50 million is for.
Native trees
The revitalization has already started in the Malpiebergse heath near Valkenswaard, the forest of ecologist Etiënne. For example, rock flour, a soil improver and fertilizer were sprinkled in one.
“We are also planting new types of native trees. Deciduous trees whose falling leaves provide a good layer of humus on the ground and therefore provide nutrients. This is possible because these trees are better able to absorb raw materials. More different trees also ensure that the forest better able to cope with changing circumstances.
Brabant is also looking emphatically to The Hague for further plans up to 2030. The pressure to take climate measures is growing and the government also wants more animal and plant species to be introduced. The province also hopes to be able to knock on the door of Brussels for some extra money.
One of the forests in Brabant that has been overhauled in recent years is the Malpiebergsche Heide near Valkenswaard. In the video, Etiënne Thomassen of Bosgroep Zuid Nederland talks about this.