Green spaces

The 240 hectares of the Sart Tilman nature reserve were classified by Royal Decree in 1997, including more than 200 ha as an integral reserve, free from human intervention. This made it the largest approved private nature reserve in Wallonia that could evolve spontaneously.

From the 1990s onwards, ecological management was extended to the park areas: this involved eliminating the use of biocides on land managed by the university, implementing an extensification program for grassy areas, creating and rehabilitating orchards, etc....

In the forest areas and the nature reserve, restoration and conservation work has complemented the existing project:

• development of stepped edges ; 
• extension of the Streupas moor;
• increasing the structural heterogeneity of the forests - creation of gaps - and the composition of the tree cover;
• control of invasive species;
• shaping of chronoxyls (dead wood left to decompose in situ, providing a succession of habitats for different species);
• measures to protect specific species - garter snakes, spotted salamanders - etc.

More recently, the 64 ha of meadows made available to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine have been the subject of a project to create planted living hedges, extending over more than 2 km.

In addition, work is currently underway at the Sart Tilman to draw up a inventory of and identify areas to be restored and those to be created in order to conserve and improve the natural ecological network of the Liège region, specifying the role of the campus.

In terms of buildings, the university has also opted for the integration of green roofs into all new construction and major renovations. All these measures will be included in the university's sustainable development plan, and will continue to be developed as new studies are carried out, for example, on ecological links within and around the campus, or on a dark network - a compromise between the lighting needs of users and the dark needs of wildlife.

The Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech university campus stretches over some 20 hectares between the town center and Gembloux's peri-urban agricultural zone. It boasts a remarkable historical heritage, including the Cistercian Abbey of Gembloux, listed as an exceptional monument in Wallonia, and its former farm. The whole is set in a park with several collections of remarkable trees.

Based on work carried out in 2021 by the Biodiversity and Landscape Unit, a differentiated management plan for the green spaces has been drawn up to formalize the methods of intervention and define different zones in relation to their positions/functions.

The " Wasabi " urban agriculture teaching and research platform is integrated into the campus. It is structured around various research themes: rain gardens, botanical gardens, urban agriculture, urban biodiversity and, in the near future, the development of a community orchard.

Green roof and green wall structures are also present on the Campus. Building on 15 years of expertise developed within Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech's Biodiversity and Landscape research team, ULiège spin-off VIVUS specializes in green roof and wall projects for real estate developers and players in urban, suburban and industrial landscapes. It also helps companies integrate biodiversity issues into their strategy.

A private site open to the public, the campus also offers visitors the opportunity to take an interactive walk to learn more about the site's nature and history, via the " Balade des Agronautes de Gembloux ".

At the same time, the experimental farm manages the University's 108 ha of agricultural land, optimizing good farming practices and maximizing agronomic levers. These areas are managed and made available to the University's research and teaching activities. Various experimental themes are being explored in relation to the agricultural systems of today and tomorrow, such as reducing pesticide use, developing value chains, managing greenhouse gas emissions, tillage, agroforestry, etc

The Arlon university campus, located south-east of the center of Arlon, covers just over 6 hectares. As natural areas, the site comprises mainly lawns and meadows.

In addition to maintenance and conservation, various projects have been set up on the Campus:

• Development of a shared vegetable garden area (staff members and residents of the town of Arlon),
• Planting of fruit hedges (raspberry, redcurrant and blackcurrant), in addition to fruit and flowering trees,
• Placement of nesting boxes (bats, chickadees, etc.),
• Maintain a late-mowing zone,
• Fight against invasive species,
• Opened a grain library.

Other projects are also planned:

• Creation of chronoxyls (dead wood left to decompose in situ, providing a succession of habitats for different species), planned in conjunction with the grain library,
• Placement of insect hotels, also planned with the grain library,
• Biodiversity development with the support of Campus research teams.

To reduce light pollution, as the Campus is not inhabited at night, exterior lighting is switched off between 11pm and 5:30am