Belgium (Wallonia)

Abstract

In Belgium, responsibility for forest policy is at a regional level (Flanders, Brussels-Capital Region, Wallonia). In Wallonia, where more than 75% of the forest area are located, a permanent forest inventory is carried out since 1994. Currently, the second inventory is ongoing. This inventory is based upon a systematic sample with 11.000 forest sample units composed of several circular concentric plots. Data collection mainly concerns: general variables (location, ownership status…), site variables (topography, soil…), stand variables (structure, age, composition…) and tree variables (species, circumference, height…). These data are processed in order to estimate land use types area, volumes, increment and drain. Most of the forest stand are available for wood supply and restrictions for wood use are few. Currently, volume and biomass of trees located in OWL and outside forest area are not assessed by the inventory and the area with trees outside forest can only be approximated. Collected, measured and processed data are available for any user and presented in various forms as tables, graphics and maps.