This article was written in cooperation with Margot Leemans and Alec van Havre.
How to unlock the natural potential of the area
Fern growing in a wet forest (top left), purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) occurs in wet grasslands and fens (top right) and a field on Alan’s land (bottom). Photo credit: Valérie Vandenabeele
Forestry management
When Alan took over the management, he started to take care of the overdue management of the forests. The pine trees were cleared out to allow more light to pierce through to the bottom, providing light for low shrubs and plants to grow. The heather that disappeared started forming a new purple carpet under the trees. There was also a natural regeneration of the oak-birch forest.
Step by step, Alan transformed the uniform pine tree forests into a heterogenous complex of pines and indigenous hardwoods. With is work, he transformed the former poplar forests lower in the valley into alder and willow forests.
Pine trees on land dunes. (left) Creating open spaces in the pine forest. (right) Photo credit: Valérie Vandenabeele.
Heather landscape
Alan checking a heather plant. Photo credit: Valérie Vandenabeele.
“My strategy is to start testing in a small area to see if the management succeeds.”
Bogs restoration
Semi-natural grasslands
Later, I transformed the meadows into heather and semi-natural grasslands. Scottish highlanders first maintained the grasses, but after the mowing, their growth proved more efficient. Some of the grass was not suitable enough for agricultural purposes. So, I try to compost these grasses now. I agreed with the Nature NGO that they could use my land for composting the grass they cannot use. They provide the machinery to air the compost piles to produce good quality compost. It is still difficult to market this compost that I now use to improve my wildlife plots. The hunters then provide me with seeds for wildlife.
Good quality compost from grassland waste. Photo credit: Valérie Vandenabeele
Future vision
When I first came here as the new manager, there was much mistrust against me. The nature NGO wanted to buy and take over my land; we competed to purchase land to complete our visions.
But as we got to know each other better, we made a gentlemen’s agreement on a kind of perimeter where we would not compete against each other. We now help each other with the management, machinery, volunteering etc.
The local people of the village also came to understand that I manage for the good of nature conservancy. A few times a year, I organise guided tours on the estate to explain the management, and some of the grounds are open to hikers. I provided a good network for soft recreation with the local forestry group and the municipality. The management of nature is expensive. I paid all costs on my account until the government provided subsidies a few years ago. Without these subsidies or economic revenue, most private landowners can't engage in nature conservation on a high level. With the help of the local nature NGO, local volunteers can help me with some of the conservation work, for example, to eradicate shrubs to keep the heather open. If sustainable non-intrusive hunting were allowed, I would even have officially made my land a nature reserve (type 4 management plan).
Alan Phillips
The Contact Point for Private Management – Nature and Forest (APB-NB) was established in 2014 as an umbrella
organization of the Flemish Forest Groups and the Flemish Landowners Organisation. The purpose of the APB-NB
is to take the role of focal point for private managers willing to contribute to European nature objectives. The APBNB
provides two-way information between the government and individual private site managers. The APB-NB
provides a customized service for the individual private site manager. The APB-NB is also responsible for policy
development, advice, communication, research, guidance and information.