We are delighted to announce that we plan to run a study tour to Wallonia, Belgium from Wednesday 2nd – Thursday 5th September 2024, in conjunction with Pro Silva Wallonia.

Proprosed programme

Monday 2nd September 2024: Members will make their own way to the hotel in Namur, ready to depart for the forest in the morning. 

Tuesday 3rd September 2024: Visit of the forest estate of the University of Namur, led by Charles Debois, former manager of the estate and President of Pro Silva Wallonia.
Morning:
– 18ha of mixed natural regeneration, 6 years after spruce clear-cut. Effects of harvesting and preservation of pre-existing native Oak, Birch and Scots Pine seedlings.
– monitoring and operations in natural regeneration (especially in favour of oak) in the understory of an old Scots Pine stand (6 ha).
– Small forest operations (pruning, clearing) of natural Oak seedlings scattered among the numerous natural seedlings of Beech and Birch in an old Beech-Oak stand
Afternoon:
– Oak and Hornbeam stand and Oak and Ash stand : large-wood harvesting method and managing firewood
– Economical results of CCF management of the estate. This study is based on inventories carried out between 1979 and 2019 and a compilation of all timber sales of this period.

Wednesday 4th September 2024 : Visit of the Community forests of “Vencimont” and “Bourseigne-Neuve”, in the Ardenne Region of Wallonia. Christophe Moreau, the forester of this district will show us different examples of CCF management:
– Diversification experiments: understory planting in conifer stands, saving oak seedlings in natural regeneration, etc.
– Management in Spruce stands that are now reaching maturity and are not in optimum site conditions
– Small forest operations in natural regeneration, pruning and optimizing young mixed stands
– Evolution of stands and discussion on the effect of the droughts of recent years.
– Soil protection and tracks

Thursday 5th septembrer 2024 (morning) : Visit of the village forest of Fernelmont (15 km of Namur)
We will visit two oak plantations (1986-1990) where different silvicultural scenarios have been tested as part of a scientific experiment. The experiment aimed to compare different initial candidate-tree (CT) density and to assess the optimal target-tree (TT) density. This experiment is particularly helpfull to quantify the effect of thinning (or crop tree release) on tree growth (with observed annual increment up to 1 cm/year) and timber quality.

You will need to arrange and pay for your own hotel and travel but please do not book yet (until we are certain we have enough numbers to make this tour viable). We hope to confirm that we have enough members booked at the beginning of June, at which point we will encourage you to book your travel and a room in the hotel (IBIS Centre Namur). We will also require a non-refundable £50 deposit, towards the cost of the coach and evening meals (the total cost will be confirmed in early June). 

Register to attend by completing the form included. 

Please note, we have a maximum of 20 places in total, so please complete the registration form early to avoid disappointment.

Non-members may also apply; however if over-subscribed, preference will be given to members. 

STUDENT PLACES

We are also offering up to two subsidised places to student members, which will include a partial subsidy of your hotel costs (in addition to arranging your own travel). If you would like to be considered for one of these places, please complete the form, including a statement (1 side of A4/ 500 words) explaining exactly why you as an individual would like to attend this study tour, with as many details as possible. The deadline for this is also 31st May.