Posted on June 16, 2025
Het ecoduct past in een breder plan om natuurgebieden in België opnieuw met elkaar te verbinden. This gives numerous animal species a safe crossing once again and enables the sustainable restoration of their habitat.
In the presence of Flemish Minister for the Environment Jo Brouns, we officially inaugurated the Waaltjesbos ecoduct. This new ecological link in the Bosland National Park spans the N71 and connects the Kristalpark with the Waaltjesbos. It forms a crucial link between the larger nature reserves Pijnven-Kattenbos and Sahara-Blekerheide. As a result, numerous animal species once again have a safe crossing, and their natural habitat can be restored in a sustainable way.
The ecoduct is an initiative of the Flemish government and forms an important part of the Flemish Action Programme for Ecological Defragmentation (VAPEO). So far, eight ecoducts have been built across Flanders, all contributing to greater biodiversity and helping to break up the fragmentation of the landscape. At Jan De Nul, we helped build two of them: the Waaltjesbos ecoduct and the eco-valley in Oudsbergen.
60 metres wide
The Waaltjesbos Ecoduct was designed with close attention to the diverse needs of local wildlife. Reptiles, amphibians, butterflies, and mammals such as deer, foxes, wild boar, and even wolves — four of Bosland’s so-called ‘Big Five’ — can now safely cross the regional road. The ecoduct is approximately 60 metres wide and has been laid out with a variety of zones — wet, dry, and transitional — to attract as many species as possible and help them feel at home.
This project is a collaboration between the Department of Environment, the Agency for Roads and Traffic, the Agency for Nature and Forests, and the Research Institute for Nature and Forest. We also thank our engineering partner Sweco for the fruitful cooperation.
