Monitoring nature values at Special Protection Area V, Polder Complex (EVINBO)

Work began in 2005 on the creation of the task allocation matrix for nature development in a number of sites that were designated by the Decision of the Flemish Government of 17 July 2000 as an extension of the Special Protection Area (SPA '3.2 Polder Complex' (Article 1 Flemish Government Decree 17/07/2000, Belgisch Staatsblad 31/08/2000)). In order to evaluate these nature development measures, the Maritime Access Section of the Department of Mobility and Public Works (Flemish government) tasked the INBO with monitoring the natural values at these sites. The project involves evaluating the nature compensation measures for the further development of the inner port of Zeebrugge and the overall evaluation of the evolution of bird life in the Polder Complex. Research is also being conducted into whether the quantitative and qualitative conservation objectives are being met that were linked to the demarcation of the Birds Directive site ‘Coastal breeding birds in Zeebrugge-Heist’ as adopted by the Flemish Government (Belgisch Staatsblad 09/12/2005).