Private forests in Wallonia, Belgium, productive, multifunctional and a source of local jobs
Forest area in Wallonia, Belgium, has increased from 315.000 ha in 1854 to 563.000 ha in 2021. Today, forests cover 33% of Wallonia. Around 51% (286.400 ha) of the total forest area is privately owned by 83.848 private forest owners. The average forest area under private ownership is 3.42 ha per owner with 91% of Walloon forest owners owning less than 5 ha and only under 1% owning more than 100 ha. Between 1990 and 2010 the volume of Walloon forests has increased by 26 million m3.
Tree species are rather mixed with a distribution of 43% coniferous and 57% broadleaved. The forest sector in Wallonia is creating 18.430 local jobs in 8.170 enterprises in sectors ranging from the production of seedlings, forestry works and operations to primary processing (sawmills, panels, paper mills, etc.) and woodworking.
Forest area in Wallonia:
0.563 million hectares = 33 %
The Association of Rural Property Owners of Wallonia
Nature, Terre, Forêt (NTF) is an association founded in 2003 which represents and defends forest and farmland private owners in Wallonia. NTF’s mission is to represent rural property owners and to defend their rights in a constantly changing, increasingly complex and regulated surrounding. Its actions are based on the sustainable management of rural land heritage at economic, social, environmental and cultural levels. NTF actively monitors and participates in all forest and farmland policy processes and initiatives interacting with every political level in Belgium including parastatal structures and other private organisations.
President: Frédéric Petit
Web site: https://ntf.be/
Mail contact: info@ntf.be
Address: Rue Borgnet, 13, 2éme étage,
5000 Namur, Belgium
Tel number: +32 (0)81 26 35 83