Ben Weyts (Flemish nationalist N-VA), minister for the Vlaamse Rand, the Flemish borderlands surrounding Brussels and environment minister Jo Brouns (Flemish Christian democrat CD&V) are jointly investing almost €1.3 million in seven projects aimed at making the Flemish borderlands around Brussels greener.
The municipalities that will benefit are Affligem, Asse, Beersel, Linkebeek, Sint-Pieters-Leeuw, Vilvoorde and Wezembeek-Oppem. More nature areas are planned for the seven municipalities, which must also be made more accessible, and ‘green connections’ will also be created.
The Warandeveld in Vilvoorde will become greener and new meanders will be created in the Biezeweide stream in Beersel. In Linkebeek, a gas station will be transformed into a green area. The investment will be paid for equally by the Nature and Forests Agency and the Fund for the Vlaamse Rand.
“In the past, we were satisfied if we could preserve existing green spaces, but now we are more ambitious: we want to create additional green spaces in our region,” says minister Weyts. “Especially in the Flemish borderlands around Brussels, every extra hectare of green space is invaluable,” adds minister Brouns.