Exploring the Natagora Nature Reserves in Beauraing

Biodiversity, citizen engagement, and technology in the service of nature.

A territory rich in biodiversity

The city of Beauraing, nestled in the heart of the Famenne region, is home to several nature reserves managed by Natagora—true havens of peace for local wildlife and plant life. These protected areas offer a variety of landscapes: calcareous grasslands, low-nutrient meadows, ponds, hedgerows, forests, and clearings.

Among the most emblematic sites are:

The Feschaux nature reserve:

The site consists of hay meadows, grazed pastures, hedgerows, young woodlands, restored ponds, and a replanted tall-stem orchard designed to recreate a traditional landscape.

Around 116 species of vascular plants have been recorded here, including marsh ragwort and drooping brome—two species considered endangered in Wallonia.

As for wildlife, the reserve hosts 86 bird species (such as the red-backed shrike, peregrine falcon, and Eurasian golden oriole), as well as the European wildcat, the greater horseshoe bat, and protected amphibians like the great crested newt and the fire salamander.

Active restoration work is ongoing, including meadow re-establishment, hedge planting, and pond restoration, ensuring the preservation of habitats favorable to biodiversity.

The Wimbe valley nature reserve:

Located at the junction of the Famenne and Calestienne regions, this expansive 43-hectare reserve, established in 2006, features a landscape rich in diversity: hay meadows, ancient hedgerows, riparian vegetation (along watercourses), and wooded hillsides. The Gongon stream, which flows through the area before joining the Wimbe at the heart of the site, enhances the variety of wetland habitats.

The reserve is home to exceptional wildlife, including bats (both lesser and greater horseshoe bats)—one of Belgium’s main populations can be found in nearby Revogne—as well as the Eurasian beaver. Bird species such as the red-backed shrike, European stonechat, and yellowhammer also thrive here, taking advantage of the dense hedgerows.

To protect this biodiversity, management efforts focus on maintaining living hedges, tall-stem orchards, wooded waterways, and rich forest edges—essential habitats for foraging bats.

The Wancennes nature reserve:

Located just outside the village of Wancennes, this small reserve of over 7 hectares offers a fine example of a traditional hedgerow landscape. It features grazed meadows surrounded by living hedges composed of hawthorn, blackthorn, brambles, and wild rose. These hedges provide shelter to many animals such as hares, rabbits, sparrowhawks, as well as songbirds like the linnet and the warbler.

The site is crossed by small streams, which bring freshness and moisture to the local wildlife. These lands have long been used for extensive grazing, which has helped preserve a rich ecological diversity.

Today, management is overseen by a local farmer practicing nature-friendly grazing. This gentle method encourages the presence of emblematic species such as the badger, red-backed shrike, nightingale, and turtle dove.

Natagora: Protecting, Restoring, Raising Awareness

Natagora is an organization active in Wallonia and Brussels, with a clear mission: to preserve biodiversity through the management, restoration, and acquisition of natural habitats.

Its main actions:

• Managing over 5,000 hectares of nature reserves.
• Supporting farmers in adopting more sustainable practices.
• Raising public awareness and educating young people.
• Organizing scientific monitoring and survey campaigns.

In Beauraing, Natagora’s work also relies on the commitment of passionate volunteers who take part in ecological management of the reserves, species monitoring, and organizing activities for the public.

LIFE Connexions: Connecting Habitats, Reconnecting Species

The LIFE Connexions project, coordinated by Natagora with support from Belgian and French partners, is a European ecological restoration program. It aims to restore priority natural habitats (meadows, wetlands, calcareous grasslands) while improving their ecological connectivity.

In Beauraing, this translates concretely into:

• Replacing spruce trees with local species.
• Creating ponds, clearings, and hedgerows.
• Supporting farmers who adopt extensive grazing or late mowing.

LIFE Connexions also relies on the involvement of citizens, schools, and local communities to build a living green network.

Nature at your fingertips: ObsIdentify and Observations.be

Biodiversity preservation also relies on citizen observation. Today, thanks to digital tools, everyone can contribute!

ObsIdentify

A free mobile app that allows you to identify a species with a single click from a simple photo. Whether it’s a flower, an insect, or a bird, artificial intelligence provides you with a quick identification suggestion.

Observations.be

A collaborative naturalist platform where anyone can publish their observations, which are then validated by experts. This data is used by scientists and managers like Natagora to monitor species populations and guide field actions.

These tools are perfect for:
– Learning to recognize local species.
– Taking part in biodiversity surveys.
– Contributing to citizen science.

Together, let’s preserve life

The nature reserves of Beauraing are not only places of wild beauty; they are symbols of a collective commitment to nature. Thanks to the work of Natagora, the support of projects like LIFE Connexions, and the involvement of thousands of citizens, it is possible to preserve and restore our natural heritage.

References:
Natagora: https://www.natagora.be/qui-est-natagora
Les réserves de la région : https://famenne.natagora.be/nos-reserves
Le projet LIFE Connexions: https://www.life-connexions.eu/
Observations.be: https://observations.be/

Find our guided walks in collaboration with Natagora at our events calendar.