Organization of Forestry
Forest area
Today forest in Belgium accounts for 22 % of the national territory distributed among the three regions of the country:
- 78 % in Wallonia, in the south of the country
- 21 % in the Flemish Region, to the north
- 1 % in the Brussels-Capital Region in the centre.
The area covered by forest has increased by 25 % in 150 years!
Today forest in Belgium accounts for 22 % of the national territory distributed among the three regions of the country:
- 78 % in Wallonia, in the south of the country
- 21 % in the Flemish Region, to the north
- 1 % in the Brussels-Capital Region in the centre.
The area covered by forest has increased by 25 % in 150 years!
Owners and managers
(1) Private forests
Most of the forests in Belgium belong to private owners (58 %). With an average area of 2.5 hectares per owner and over 100.000 owners, private forests are characterised by a relatively high level of parcelling and a wide range of owners. These private forests are managed directly by their owners either through a manager or by a Cooperative selected by the owners.
Forest management is determined by specific legislation:
- the Forestry Code (Code forestier) in the Walloon Region
- the Forest Decree (Bosdecreet) in the Flemish Region.
(2) Public forests
42% of forest is distributed among public owners. This percentage includes national forests belonging to the Regions (11 %), the Communes (28 %) and the Provinces, Public Social Welfare Centres and Church Councils (3 %). These forests are managed by the following forestry authorities:
- the DNF or Department of Nature and Forests in the Walloon Region
- the ANB or Nature and Forest Agency in the Flemish Region
- and the IBGE or Brussels Institute for Environmental Management in the Brussels-Capital
Region.
Forestry authorities are divided into:
- regional directorates and
- forest ranges and forest districts.
Taxation and aid for the forest
Silviculture is taxed by means of a flat-rate property tax, independently of wood sale. This tax is levied, on the basis of the cadastral revenue:
- withholding tax on real estate,
- tax on natural persons.
In Wallonia, since 2008 with the new forestry code, inheritance tax and taxes on donations are no longer payable on forest stands, but only on forestland value.
In Flanders, inheritance tax and taxes on donations on both land value and forest stands have been abolished for woods and forests which are either managed in accordance with the criteria for sustainable forest management or are part of the “Vlaamse Ecologisch Netwerk”, the Flemish ecological network. The Flemish Region also offers specific aid for certain plantations, preparation for expanded management plans and help in the construction of paths for the general public.
(1) Private forests
Most of the forests in Belgium belong to private owners (58 %). With an average area of 2.5 hectares per owner and over 100.000 owners, private forests are characterised by a relatively high level of parcelling and a wide range of owners. These private forests are managed directly by their owners either through a manager or by a Cooperative selected by the owners.
Forest management is determined by specific legislation:
- the Forestry Code (Code forestier) in the Walloon Region
- the Forest Decree (Bosdecreet) in the Flemish Region.
(2) Public forests
42% of forest is distributed among public owners. This percentage includes national forests belonging to the Regions (11 %), the Communes (28 %) and the Provinces, Public Social Welfare Centres and Church Councils (3 %). These forests are managed by the following forestry authorities:
- the DNF or Department of Nature and Forests in the Walloon Region
- the ANB or Nature and Forest Agency in the Flemish Region
- and the IBGE or Brussels Institute for Environmental Management in the Brussels-Capital
Region.
Forestry authorities are divided into:
- regional directorates and
- forest ranges and forest districts.
Taxation and aid for the forest
Silviculture is taxed by means of a flat-rate property tax, independently of wood sale. This tax is levied, on the basis of the cadastral revenue:
- withholding tax on real estate,
- tax on natural persons.
In Wallonia, since 2008 with the new forestry code, inheritance tax and taxes on donations are no longer payable on forest stands, but only on forestland value.
In Flanders, inheritance tax and taxes on donations on both land value and forest stands have been abolished for woods and forests which are either managed in accordance with the criteria for sustainable forest management or are part of the “Vlaamse Ecologisch Netwerk”, the Flemish ecological network. The Flemish Region also offers specific aid for certain plantations, preparation for expanded management plans and help in the construction of paths for the general public.