Plaats hier een foto (om deze op de juiste lengte te verkrijgen mag je die naar mariko doorsturen)
Toon Van Daele, Wouter Van Reeth, Myriam Dumortier, Tim Adriaens, Luc De Bruyn, Maarten Hens,
Gerald Louette, Johan Peymen, Anik Schneiders, Maarten Stevens, Glenn Vermeersch
Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), Brussels, Belgium
wouter.vanreeth@inbo.be
Biodiversity and Sustainability in Flanders:
an indicator-based assessment
FLANDERS AT A GLANCE
Flanders is tracking its progress towards the achievement of the 2010 target via 22 biodiversity indicators. They are in line with the focal areas and targets of the Convention on
Biological Diversity (CBD) and the EU biodiversity headline indicators. The indicators are available on
www.biodiversityindicators.be
.
Flanders is a densely populated and economically prosperous region in the northern part of Belgium. It is located in the Western
European lowland and belongs almost entirely to the Atlantic biogeographic region. Nearly a quarter of the area is urbanised and
about half of its surface is occupied by agriculture. The Flemish landscape is the most fragmented in Europe.
STATUS AND TRENDS OF COMPONENTS OF BIODIVERSITY
CBD goal 1: Promote the conservation of the biological diversity of ecosystems, habitats
and biomes
CBD goal 2: Promote the conservation of species diversity
References
Van Daele, T., Van Reeth, W., Dumortier, M., Peymen, J. (2010). Biodiversity Indicators 2010. The State of Nature in Flanders (Belgium). Research Institute for Nature and Forest, Brussels. INBO.MK2010.3 Bruers S. & Verbeek B. (2010). De berekening van de ecologische voetafdruk voor Vlaanderen. Study conducted for the Vlaamse Milieumaatschappij, MIRA. Research report MIRA/2010/01, Ecolife
THREATS TO BIODIVERSITY
CBD goal 5: Reduce pressures from habitat loss, land use change,
degradation and unsustainable water use
CBD goal 6: Control threats from invasive alien species
PUBLIC AWARENESS & PARTICIPATION
Since 1970 the proportion of alien plant species (5) has doubled. The Between 1900 and 2010 about 100 alien animal species (6) established permanent populations. The number of alien species increases exponentially. During the last five years the number alien plant and animal species has increased by more than 25 per year in Flanders.
SUSTAINABLE USE
CBD goal 4: Promote sustainable use and consumption
The average ecological footprint (8) in Flanders in 2006 is 6.3 global hectares per capita. This is almost five times higher than the regional biocapacity (1.3 gha/capita). More than half of this footprint relates to the consumption of energy. 90 % of the consumption of renewable materials is located abroad.
ECOSYSTEM INTEGRITY, GOODS AND SERVICES
CBD goal 8: Maintain capacity of ecosystems to deliver goods and services and support
livelihoods
In 1996 the three Benelux countries announced their intention to achieve free fish migration in all water catchments by 2010. The removal of migration barriers (11) is in progress, but too slow to achieve the target. A new target is set at 2015. By the end of 2009, 22 % of the migration barriers had been dealt with. Meanwhile, migratory fish species are recovering slightly, probably as a result of improved water quality.
The phosphorus concentrations in Flemish rivers are among the highest in Europe. In the 1990s gradually more survey points achieved good or very good conditions with regard to phosphorus concentration in rivers (12), due to an increase in the water purifi-cation capacity and the introduction of low-phosphate detergents. More recently the phosphorus concentration has stabilised. Unless additional policy measures are taken, the targets of the European Waterframework Directive will not be met by 2015.
64.589
13.552
Terrestrial area (km²)
Source: Eurostat55,7
116,2
GDP per capita (EU27 = 100)
36,5
459,4
Population density (inh/km²)
Latvia
Flanders
Very specific habitats degrade to more common, usually nutrient-rich habitats. As a consequence, many rare species, restricted
to these specific habitats, are declining. Freshwater biodiversity declined sharply during the last century, although a significant
recovery has been noticed during the last decade in the larger rivers. Woodland birds have also fared better in recent times.
Breeding Bird Index (1990 = 100 %)
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 1990 2000-2002 2007-2009 Forest Farmland Other 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010
Nitrogen residue (kgN/ha/year)
0 50 100 150 200 Nitrogen residue Target Environmental policy plan (2003-2007) Target Environmental policy plan (2003-2010)
Built area (6%) Sea space (1%) Forest land (7%) Pasture land (3%) Crop land (30%) Energy land (53%) 1994 19961998 2000 2002 2004 20062008 2010 Number of members 0 20000 40000 60000 80000 100000
JNM (Youth organisation for Nature and Environment) Vogelbescherming Vlaanderen (Bird protection organisation) Wielewaal (NGO managing nature reserves) World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) Natuurreservaten (NGO managing nature reserves) Greenpeace
Natuurpunt (NGO managing nature reserves)
2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016
Proportion of migration barriers removed (%) 0 20 40 60 80 100
Removed migration barriers Flemish target Doelstelling Benelux
1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010
% non-native plant species per km
2 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Cumulative number of animal species
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 Vertebrate species Invertebrate species Total
The nitrogen residue in agricultural soils (9) in Flanders is among the highest in Europe. Due to reduced livestock numbers, increased processing of animal manure and other policy measures the residue decreased by 58 % since the early 1990’s. Decreasing N-residues in soils also leads to a decrease in transfer of nitrogen to surface and ground water.
Between 1990 and 2008, 48.089 ha of forest management plans (10) (33 % of the 150.000 ha of Flemish forest area) were approved. Extensive forest management plans are based on criteria that are closely related to those from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
Breeding birds (1) of farmlands declined markedly in Flanders during the last two decades, due to intensification and scale consolidation of agriculture. The abundance of woodland birds has increased, due to the maturing of forests and their increasingly natural composition and structure.
One third of the species of European interest (2) (Habitats Directive) has in 2006 a favourable conservation status. Of the aquatic species only one tenth has a favourable status. Of the habitats of European interest (3) 93 % has an inade-quate or bad conservation status. All aquatic habitats have a bad conservation status, mainly because of water pollution.
The Natura 2000-network (4) covers 12.3 % of Flanders’ terrestrial area. This is less than the European average, but more than most of the surrounding economic top regions.
The membership of nature organizations (13) indicates public interest in nature and support for nature conservation. However, it also reflects the recruitment policy of these organizations. The indicator shows a mixed picture. Natuurpunt, the largest organisation, has over 87.000 members which represents 3,3 % of the Flemish households.
Source: VMM-MIRA, Ecolife
11 12 13
Atmospheric nitrogen deposition in Flanders decreased with 33 % between 1990 and 2006. The deposition however still exceeds the critical load for eutrophication (7) in 100 % of the Flemish forests and heathlands and in 91 % of the species rich grasslands.
Species of European interest
11
16
4 18
Habitats of European interest
3 8 35 Favourable Inadequate Bad Unknown 199119931995199719992001200320052007 Area (ha) 0 10000 20000 30000 40000 50000
Limited management plan Extensive management plan
1994 1996 1998 20002002 2004 20062008 2010 Number of members 0 20000 40000 60000 80000 100000 JNM Vogelbescherming Vlaanderen Wielewaal WWF Natuurreservaten Greenpeace Natuurpunt
Belgium
1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010Coverage of Protected Area under Natura 2000 (ha)
0 20000 40000 60000 80000 100000 120000 140000 160000
180000 % of the Flemish terrestrial surface
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Special Protection Areas (Birds Directive) Sites of Community Interest (Habitats Directive) Natura 2000
1990 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Average exceedance (kg N/ha/jaar)
0 10 20 30 40 50 Forest Heathland Grassland Total ’90 ’91 ’92 ’93 ’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08
Proportion of sampling points (%)
