Project
Reforestation in Wallonia, Belgium

In this project, you can see reforestation sites in Belgium. The project exists in cooperation with PlantC, and Société Royale Forestière de Belgique (SRFB) to support sustainable agriculture and forestry in Belgium.

PlantC

PlantC is a positive impact company whose ambition is to make rural territories resilient by planting hedges, orchards, innovative vegetable crops such as miscanthus but also by reforesting areas degraded by climatic and pest disturbances. These projects respond to different emergencies: act against global warming, preserve biodiversity, the quality of water and soil, contribute to the well-being of farm animals or even generate resources for local supply.

Founded by the young trio, Lucas Gossiaux, Aricia Evlard and Romain Riberaud, bioengineer, biologist, and geographer specializing in territorial development, PlantC offers a unique solution allowing companies and committed citizens to contribute to these plantation projects with multiple impacts, in Belgium. PlantC, therefore, works upstream with farmers and foresters in the organization of their planting project.

PlantC's reason for being is to promote the symbiosis between Man and the Living as local transition solutions. PlantC's action is not just about "planting trees". The ambition is stronger by developing productive symbioses between Human and his environment. This is a message of optimism: we can, at the territorial level, diversify landscapes to accommodate biodiversity, store carbon, and create new income opportunities.

Reforesting the devastated Belgian forest: an urgent matter

Pests (fungi, insects), drought and storms have always affected forests. But climate change is increasing the frequency and concomitance of these disturbances. Thousands of hectares of forest are dying here in Belgium and across Europe. One of the main species affected is spruce because of the biggest forest pests in Europe: the bark beetle, a beetle specific to spruce. When a spruce area is infected, the affected trees must be cut and exported. At the same time, the ashes suffer from the attack of a fungal pest that leads to the death of the trees.

The progression of these diseases is enhanced by repeated episodes of drought that weaken the trees. The temperature increase and the reduction of frost periods amplified to the multiplication of pests.

The forest’s decline generates discouragement among most foresters, witnessing that the work done over several generations has been reduced to nothing. In this context, and given the uncertainty induced by climate change, many landowners are giving up investing in reforestation of their areas. However, forests offer many important ecosystem services: carbon storage, habitats for biodiversity, water and air quality, well-being and wood production.

Therefore, the Société Royale Forestière de Belgique (SRFB) and Sylva Nova are joining forces with PlantC and Go Forest to support reforestation in Belgium. The contributions made by the companies give new life to these areas and help prevent forest fallow.