Tubize Partner Meeting

/in /by

The various partners in the Belini project came together on Thursday 12 September to exchange their experiences and results from the previous months. Our auditors from NEEMO and EASME also attended the meeting in Tubize.

By tradition, the weather gods are well-disposed to us, which proved to be the case this time also. Although the morning sunshine was looking inviting, we spent the first part of the day at the Tubize town hall. During our time there, we reviewed how far our project had come and our collective points to work on, along with any problems and potential solutions.

For example, our discussion included how expropriation procedures are going in the various regions and the development of a new model to help us achieve a good ecological condition for a watercourse. All in all, a great deal of food for thought and discussion.

Later on, in the afternoon, we reviewed what Belini means in practice. Our partner SPW DGO 3 brought us along to their temporary natural flood plain on the Cœurq. This area was constructed earlier this year and brought into operation in the spring. The biodiversity and the ecosystems here will be monitored further over the next few years.

A few images below offer a sense of the atmosphere.

New Demer Bend officially opened by canoe

/in /by

On 25 April, Flemish Minister for Public Works, Ben Weyts, and the Flemish Minister for Nature, Koen Van den Heuvel travelled by canoe along the new Demer Bend between Diest and Scherpenheuvel-Zichem. It is the first of dozens of meanders that had been cut off to be reconnected in order to combat the danger of flooding and drought.

With one stroke, this will make the entire vicinity of the Demer far more pleasant for both animals and people. The Demer was straightened a few decades ago by blocking off meanders, leaving the river with less room to flow, which increased the danger of flooding. As part of the Demer Valley Sigma Project, dozens of bends between Diest and Werchter, which had been cut off, are being reconnected to the river. This first reconnection is taking place as part of the Life Belini project.

Reconnecting old meanders provides extra room for water to flow, making high water levels on the Demer more manageable. This also results in a more varied, beautiful and ecological landscape. The surrounding banks of the first meander in Vinkenberg are being arranged in a natural manner over a distance of 500 metres.

Natural flood plain on the Coeurcq now in service

/in /by

Work on the new natural flood plain on the Coeurcq in Tubize has now been completed. The new flood plain was already in service during the heavy rainfall in early March.

This flood plain is a wonderful first result from the Belini project and, in particular, an excellent collaboration between the city of Tubize, the province of Walloon Brabant, the Walloon Public Service (DGO3), the Walloon Brabant Intercommunal Association and Contrat de Rivière Senne.

Workshop on exemptions in the Water Framework Directive

/in /by

On 16 October 2018, the first of three workshops was held on Exemptions in the Water Framework Directive. When do we use Article 4.7 as a consequence of a marked morphological change in the water body?

More than 30 participants, spread over the three regions and various stakeholder groups (water managers, Natuurpunt and several consulting firms), participated in the discussion. The meeting was organised by Brussels Environment and moderated by experts from the Flanders Environment Agency, Brussels Environment and Public Service of Wallonia.

No ready-made solutions

Using manuals and examples, the workshop explained how Art. 4.7 and the Weser ruling in Germany should be interpreted and applied. It became clear from the workshop that a ready-made solution applicable to all projects does not exist. Each project must be evaluated in its own right and assessed as to whether an exemption in the form of Article 4.7 is necessary and applicable. A knowledge exchange between the experts from the various regions is therefore essential in arriving at a more general assessment framework for making projects “Weser-proof”.

View the presentation here.

European IP projects together at LIFE IP Platform event

/in /by

On 10 and 11 April, LIFE Belini organised a LIFE IP Platform event in Brussels. 40 delegates of LIFE projects from different European member states came together to share their ideas and experiences with one other.

The LIFE IP Platform took place last Tuesday and Wednesday at the Herman Teirlinck building in Brussels. Various projects, both already in progress and in their preparation phase, were represented, with a healthy mix of topics relating to water, nature and climate.

The goal of the event was to exchange ideas and experiences concerning the common challenges in project and communication management. The projects were given the opportunity to introduce themselves to one another and to share their experience with the projects in preparation. The projects also looked at finding joint initiatives for future collaboration. Other themes were also addressed, such as monitoring the project and stakeholder management.

The two-day event ended with a guided visit to the Doode Bemde in Leuven. This nature reserve is a fine example of what a natural water retention area can look like. In Belini, plans for realising several natural water retention areas in the river basin of the Dijle in Namur are still on the drawing board.

The successful conference is a good start to a closer collaboration between the different European LIFE IP projects.

LIFE Belini at Brussels waterdays

/in /by

Sunday 25 March marked the close of Brussels Water Days. Life Bellini set up a full-blown water village at the Maximilian Park in Brussels, featuring a variety of fun, water-related activities. LIFE Belini was also on hand to present the project to a large interested audience.

Numerous interested parties paid a visit to the ‘Maxi Mille Liens’ Water Village. Attendees were introduced to water managers or associations active in water management via a wide range of activities.

For LIFE Belini, it was the ideal opportunity to present their project to the attendees. The youngest visitors could become acquainted with aquatic animals or colour in a Belini drawing, and additionally received a fun surprise. The arrival of daylight savings time with the accompanying sunshine ensured a successful final day in the Maximilian Park water village.

Presentation of planned works in Vinkenberg

/in /by

Approximately 40 local residents came to find out about the Sigma Plan Demer Valley project and the plans for the Vinkenberg area between Scherpenheuvel-Zichem and Diest. After an explanation in the cultural centre in Diest, they were given a tour through the area.

Over the course of 2018, a previously cut off meandering—or turn—in the river will be reconnected to the Demer. Furthermore, the water levels of the Lei canal will be raised so that ‘wet’ nature will be able to flourish. At the same time, we are investing in a small levee to protect the area from flooding. This is being accomplished with the support of the European LIFE Belini project.

More information is available at: http://sigmaplan.be/en/projects/the-demer-valley/

Launch event: a successful start

/0 Comments/in /by

On Tuesday 24 May, about 70 guests gathered at the HUSA President Park Hotel in Brussels for an event to launch the LIFE Belini.

project. This project has given eight Belgian partners the opportunity to set up an ambitious project for a targeted and coordinated approach to waterways in the basins of the Zenne, Dyle and Demer rivers.

Lots of speakers gave uplifting presentations about the project, the goals, the partnership and various actions that will benefit the water and hydro-morphologic qualities of the water courses and limit the risk of flooding.

Under a shining sun, the partners and stakeholders raised their glasses to a successful collaboration over the coming eight years