Zones urbaines et périurbaines - Belgian Biodiversity Alliance

By 2030, 120 000 hectares of urban and peri-urban areas are net-positive for biodiversity.

Naturalising or re-naturalising a zone by creating biodiversity-rich areas provides green and blue building blocks and helps to reconnect the fragmented ecological network. This can be done by creating new “pocket parks”, tiny forests, green and blue infrastructures and cool islands in the cities, by planting hedges, restoring wetlands, establishing new natural reserves, planting trees, establishing ponds, buying land to reinstate nature, protecting riverbeds, protecting coastal dunes, conserving coastal and marine habitats, etc.

Besides supporting biodiversity, possible co-benefits include reduction of heat-islands, enhanced air quality, regulated water flows, enhanced CO² storage, enhanced health, easy and closer access to nature.

Contribute to this objective

What is to be achieved?

Restoration and conservation of biodiversity
Restoration and enhancement of the connectivity of the ecological network
Creation of new biodiverse green and blue zones
(Re)naturalisation of urban and peri-urban areas

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Criteria to be reflected by the voluntary engagements:

Have respect for and/or improve the specific ecological characteristics of the area (e.g. the topography, the type of landscape, the local plant and animal life, ...)
Set up a biodiversity-friendly management system (e.g. rewilding and reduced mowing of parks, gardens, talus, ponds, no chemicals, etc.)
As much naturalness as possible/as little alteration as possible of the initial landscape (landscape, quality of water, of soil, ...)
Incorporate the developments into the surrounding area and environment
Use native species, and subspecies that are more resilient and resistant to climate change, if appropriate