Vlaamse Landmaatschappij Flemish Land Agency Joint investment in - PDF document

Vlaamse Landmaatschappij Flemish Land Agency Joint investment in open space 1

Joint investment in open space OUR MISSION  Open space = rural areas in Flanders  Your partner = on demand of our part ners  Keep the countryside alive in a sustainable way  Planning and managing open space  Protect the environment 19-4-2010 3 The Flemish Land Agency (VLM) HISTORY 1935 THE NATIONAL LAND AGENCY OF S MALL LAND PROPERTY TASKS NMKL  Provide social accommodation  Improve agricultural structures  Land consolidation (1956) 19-4-2010 4 2

The Flemish Land Agency (VLM) HISTORY 21/12/1988 VLAAMS E LANDMAATS CHAPPIJ (FLEMIS H LAND AGENCY) MISSIONS  Land consolidation  Rural Land development (1988) VLM  The Manure Bank (1991)  Nature Development (1998)  Management agreements (1998)  Rural development (1999)  Landbank (2004) 19-4-2010 5 The Flemish Land Agency TODAY 19-4-2010 6 3

VLM within the Flemish Government Flemish Government Minister of Environment Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Department of Environment, Nature and Land-Use Flemish Government Institut ions Flemish Environment Agency (VMM) Flemish Water Supply Agency (VMW) … Flemish Land Agency (VLM) Central Direct orate Brussels Provincial Divisions 19-4-2010 7 Organisation BOARD OF GOVERNORS 17 members BOARD OF General administrator DIRECTORS ir. Toon Denys 1 Central Directorate located in Brussels 5 Provincial Divisions Bruges, Ghent, Herentals, Leuven, Hasselt 19-4-2010 8 4

Staff  800 Persons 800  Engineers  Biologists  Experts in spatial planning  Experts in environmental and agricultural issues  Geographers  Technical staff  Administrative staff ... 19-4-2010 9 Our core activities 1. Land development 2. Rural development 3. Agri-environmental agreements 4. Landbanking and flanking measures 5. Nutrient management 19-4-2010 10 5

1. LAND DEVELOPMENT Quality open space, planning and management 19-4-2010 11 Quality open space, planning and management  Planning: VLM expertise  Work on demand: measured to the demand of the partners  Using the appropriate instrument with respect for t he identity of the area  1.1 Land development  1.2 Land consolidation  1.3 Land development for nature 19-4-2010 12 6

1.1 Land development The central concept of a land development proj ect : INTEGRATED SUSTAINABLE The critical success factors of a proj ect: buying and expropriating LAND Re-allotment and land banking PARTICIPATION 19-4-2010 13 Example: Landscapepark “ Green Fields” – former situation 19-4-2010 14 7

Preliminary design – concept (March 5, 2003 – VLM) Pathway structure: twisting dike Pathwaystructure:Goose-foot Old parcelstructure Landscape park “ Green Fields” – current situation 19-4-2010 16 8

19-4-2010 17 19-4-2010 18 9

1.2 Land consolidation Land Consolidation in Flanders Preparat ion stage Implementation S tage Finished ‘ new st yle’ Finished ‘ old st yle’ 19-4-2010 19 1.2 Land consolidation Example: Land Consolidation proj ect S int-Gillis-Waas Re-allotment plan Before After 19-4-2010 20 10

Construction of cycling paths Waterpurification: reed land Reconstruction of rural roads Nature conservation Recreational infrastucture Landscaping Water management: water basin 19-4-2010 21 1.3 Land development for nature Example: Bourgoyen-Ossemeersen (during the works) 19-4-2010 22 11

19-4-2010 23 Bourgoyen-Ossemeersen – current situation 19-4-2010 24 12

Rural development 2. RURAL DEVELOPMENT 19-4-2010 25 Rural development  Head office:  Coordination of rural development policy  Policy Input related to rural problems ex. Mobility  Provincial division:  Regional-oriented proj ects  Enhancement of viability  Regional branding  Bottom-up approach  Quick win proj ects 19-4-2010 26 13

Rural areas: attractive to work 19-4-2010 27 Rural areas to live 19-4-2010 28 14

Rural areas to recreate 19-4-2010 29 3. AGRI-ENVIRONMENTAL AGREEMENTS 19-4-2010 30 15

Agri-environmental agreements  Contracts between farmers and the Flemish government, through which farmers commit to make extra efforts for the improvement of nature and landscape  Advice and administrative help by VLM-farm planners  Agricultural nature conservation Agri-environmental agreements focussed on: erosion control, hamster prot ection, const ruction and maintenance of ponds, meadow bird management, … 19-4-2010 31 S mall landscape elements Wood elements Hedge Hedgerow in springtime Pond 19-4-2010 32 16

Creation hedgerow in combination with a buffer strip 19-4-2010 33 Field information for farmers 19-4-2010 34 17

Erosion management: example 19-4-2010 35 Erosion management: example 19-4-2010 36 18

Erosion management + nature buffer strips 19-4-2010 37 4. LANDBANKING AND FLANKING MEASURES 19-4-2010 38 19

4.1 Landbanking 19-4-2010 39 4.1 Landbanking  At the service of other public services  Landbanks  Offer replacing cultivated land  Give a bonus for enterprise relocation  Purchase land with incentives  Give incentives to lease out land  Involve farmers for the maintenance of the land  Give one year’ s leases 19-4-2010 40 20

4.2 Flanking measures Example: Harbour of Ghent 19-4-2010 41 4.2 Flanking measures  Minimising the impact of large infrastruct ural works on open space  VLM offers flanking measures on demand of the part ners  Agricultural impact assessments 19-4-2010 42 21

4.2 Flanking measures  Agricultural Impact Assessment (AIA)  Investigate the effects on agriculture  Map the impact of a proj ect  Make suggestions for adj ustments  Decree integrated water policy offers a compensation for the loss of use in a beaconed flood plain  Decree grounds and propertypolicy gives a compensation for the loss of capital and use (green spatial execution plan) 19-4-2010 43 5. Nutrient management 19-4-2010 44 22

Nutrient management  Enforcing t he correct implementation of the nitrate direct ive, whose obj ective is t o reduce wat er pollution caused or induced by nitrates from agricultural sources.  Reducing manure surpluses  S timulating manure processing  Counselling and sensitising farmers  In a later stage monitoring  As a last step,sanctioning if necessary 19-4-2010 45 More information www.vlm.be info@ vlm.be  roland.vancauwenberghe@ vlm.be  els.seghers@ vlm.be  phone 0032 9 244 85 00  fax 0032 9 244 85 99 19-4-2010 46 23