Ecological inventory and monitoring of banks and dikes as a function of the section river restoration Leie, part of the Seine-Schelde project

The objective of the Seine-Schelde project is to develop the inland waterway connection for container and pusher craft (gabarite Vb, one-way traffic) between the Seine and Schelde basins. In addition to the section on inland navigation within the Seine-Schelde project, there is also a section on river restoration of the Leie between Wervik and Deinze. This part of the project focuses on restoring the multifunctional character of the river. Strengthening spatial cohesion, improving the quality of the ecological system and realising or restoring the relationship between the canalised waterway and the natural river or its meanders will be discussed. A concrete measure within the section of the river restoration Leie is to provide nature-friendly and nature-technical banks along the Leie. In the preliminary design, 14 km of "plasbermen" and 24 km of "drasbermen" are planned between Deinze and Menen.
Within the framework agreement between De Vlaamse Waterweg nv and INBO, an ecological inventory and monitoring of the natural values in the banks and verges along the Leie is required. The bank and verge vegetation, fishing communities, breeding reed birds, nesting river bank swallows, grassland butterflies and bats are to be inventoried and monitored. The inventory and monitoring will allow us to answer the following questions:
- What natural values are there before the redevelopment works?
- What natural values are present after the works?
- Is there a development towards the proposed nature objectives?
- Is it desirable to adjust the planning or management measures?
The acquired knowledge about the impact of the design measures on nature values can form a guideline for the implementation of future projects and in this way support Flemish water policy and management. In addition, an evaluation of the projects will also allow efforts and resources to be used more efficiently in the future.

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