First peer review, 2nd day
On 20/03/2024 in Namur, Belgium was held the 2nd day of the 1st peer review visit, and 4 study trips were carried out in order to provide examples of citizen participation.
•The first one at Flostoy, “Visit of a collaborative ponds restoration project” (Natagora), whose objective is to restore and protect the ponds with their local fauna (amphibian population).
Thanks to regional subsidies, Natagora collaborates with farmers with whom it makes plans to manage and look after the ponds. If subsidized, they are obliged to maintain them at least for 15 years.
The water has to be maintained at least until July so that the amphibians can grow up, and only 25% of it can be used for cattle but not for irrigation.
•The second one at Strée, “Yes we plant” initiative at theTechnological Center of Agronomy: which is a project that comes from an initiative of the government that, after launching it, invited all the stakeholders in the task force for its implementation by making a kind of “umbrella organization”.
The Objective from 2019 to 2024 was to reach 4000 km of hedgerows and 1.000.000 of trees, which was a success since the target was achieved in January 2024. In these years 110 km have been planted but now the goal is 1.000 km per year.
•The third one at St Georges sM, “visit of a quarry involved in a public - private partnership with the region for the consideration of biodiversity”: which tries to improve the sector’s contribution to biodiversity preservation, through activities of sensitization, good practices dissemination, quarry workers training and site managers training.
•The fourth one was at Hanut, “visit to a restoration project following advocacy to citizens” (Natagora - Natagriwal).
