Beschrijving
LOCATION + COORDINATES
Oostmalle (BE), PRIVATELY OWNED LAND
Wet Alder forest restoration: 51°16'08.8"N 4°43'48.4"E (Google Maps: 51.269096, 4.730106)
CATEGORY
Demonstration sites for temporal natural water retention
Demonstration sites for permanent natural water retention
DESCRIPTION SITE
In Oostmalle, Salphenbos is a privately owned area along the river 'De Delfte Beek', within the catchment of the river Nete. It is situated near a drink water abstraction site of Pidpa and is part of the Natura 2000 network. The preservation or restore the wet forest areas in the vicinity of the drink water abstraction site is beneficial to the water quality and quantity. Surrounding intensively drained farmlands, pine plantations and urban areas limit the capacity for water retention and infiltration. In close collaboration with the land owners, Pidpa will restore 10 ha of wet Alder forest and a permanent water pool (previously used as farmland). This will improve the temporal and permanent water retention capacity, the self-purification function and connectivity between other Alder forest patches in the area. Moreover, the denitrification potential will increase and the site will act as an important sink for greenhouse gas emissions.
MEASURES
Ultimately Pidpa wants to realise 10 ha of wet alder forest, preferably on former farmland.
As a first step 2 ha of grassland will be restored to wet Alder forest within the PROWATER project.