Life Elia

The Department of Nature and Forests (Directorate General 3 of the Walloon Public Service) implements the Forest Code, laws on nature conservation, natural parks, hunting and fishing, in consultation with the sectors concerned.

It performs the following tasks

• ensures the implementation of the Forest Code;

• manages and ensures the multifunctional role of forests by:

  1. coordinating the elaboration of development plans,

  2. monitoring forest certification,

  3. elaborating forestry operating and work rules,

  4. developing management methods and tools derived from applied research programmes;

• provides knowledge of the forest heritage in coordination with the DEMNA (Natural and Agricultural Environmental Studies Department) by harvesting and the provision of data on the status and evolution of parameters relating to timber production and biodiversity

• ensures the development of genetic potential of the forest heritage with a view to increasing production and greater diversity (Seed Bank);

• contributes to the development and promotion of timber and other forest products and services (social function);

• provides updates and proposes additions to the list of notable trees and hedges, provides health advice related to possible felling of notable trees;

• develops, in collaboration with the DEMNA, computing and mapping tools needed to manage forests and the natural environment and ensures the maintenance of these tools;

• ensures the implementation of the Nature Conservation Act and the Decree on National Parks;

• develops regulatory proposals with those concerned;

• coordinates actions to be taken on the whole territory to ensure the maintenance and development of biodiversity;

• manages publicly owned protected areas;

• ensures the implementation of the Hunting and Fishing Acts;

• prepares draft regulations on hunting and fishing in collaboration with those concerned;

• develops and coordinates the preparation and implementation of piscicultural and halieutic management plans in the context of integrated management plans for watercourses and "Rivers" contracts;

• manages state-owned fish farms;

• implements and evaluates regulatory texts;

• for the species concerned, participates:

  1. in learning about them and their monitoring,

  2. in the preservation and enhancement of their wilderness character,

  3. in the evaluation of their impact on the environment.

•  implements practical assignments: of the technical, administrative and policy nature, guidelines and general policies established by the Government in the areas of forestry, hunting, fishing and nature conservation;

• manages publicly owned forests and protected areas;

• develops forest management plans under the forest regime and relying on state-owned nature reserves.