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1.Edible forest gardens, 
volunteer work in organisation natuurpunt and volunteer work in Botanic Garden Meise

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1.Edible forest gardens, 
volunteer work in organisation natuurpunt and volunteer work in Botanic Garden Meise

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Edible forest gardens:

We can motivate people to work together on a project of "Edible forest garden".

http://library.uniteddiversity.coop/Permaculture/Agroforestry/Forest_Gardens/Edible_Forest_Gardens_Vol.1-Vision_and_Theory.pdf

http://library.uniteddiversity.coop/Permaculture/Agroforestry/Forest_Gardens/Edible_Forest_Gardens_Vol.2-Design_and_Practice.pdf

https://www.nofa.org/tnf/sp02/supplement/edible.pdf

Edible forest gardening is the art and science of putting plants together in woodlandlike patterns that forge mutually beneficial relationships, creating a garden ecosystem that is more than the sum of its parts. You can grow fruits, nuts, vegetables, herbs, mushrooms, other useful plants, and animals in a way that mimics natural ecosystems. You can create a beautiful, diverse, high-yield garden. If designed with care and deep understanding of ecosystem function, you can also design a garden that is largely self-maintaining.

Why Grow an Edible Forest Garden?
While each forest gardener will have unique design goals, forest gardening in general has three primary practical intentions:

High yields of diverse products

A largely self-maintaining garden and;

A healthy ecosystem.

(see picture below: example edible forest garden)

2. We can volunteer in organisations such as natuurpunt, who is working together with natura 2000 . In my BioArea, natuurpunt  is  creating a mosaic of habitats, all connected. They also started turning agrocultural land  into a nature reserve.  They want soil low in nutrients where wild plants can live. They started  making corridors, they are bying land (very expensive) for this huge work.

3. We can volunteer in the The Botanic Garden Meise, who is working on different scientific levels.

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Replacing fossil fuels with biofuels is highly controversial since it solves one problem but creates new ones.  

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Replacing fossil fuels with biofuels is highly controversial since it solves one problem but creates new ones.  

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Biodiversity in Belgium: an overview

https://www.health.belgium.be/sites/default/files/uploads/fields/fpshealth_theme_file/7472556/Brochure%3A%20biodiversit%C3%A9%20en%20belgique.pdf

All different habitat-types natura 2000 in Flanders: an overview

https://natura2000.vlaanderen.be/habitattypes?categorie=162

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Tropical Andean trees migrate to higher altitudes where the air is cool enough to support their existence. Due to the fast climatic change they have to move faster in order to remain in equilibrium with their preferred temperatures.

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Tropical Andean trees migrate to higher altitudes where the air is cool enough to support their existence. Due to the fast climatic change they have to move faster in order to remain in equilibrium with their preferred temperatures.

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I wrote a small text for the newsletter Musa of  Botanic Garden Meise last month, picturing Chrysoplenium alternifolium. In spring, you find this golden beauty  in the Botanic Garden Meise.

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Belgium: climate change is a fact : 1,3° warmer in < 40 years 

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Belgium: climate change is a fact : 1,3° warmer in < 40 years 

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Every day, I find new articles...

article in HLN, newspaper, on 29/03/2019:
1,3° warmer:  period 1981- 2018

https://www.hln.be/wetenschap-planeet/weernieuws/belgische-klimaatopwarming-is-een-feit-tussen-1981-en-2018-is-het-1-3-graden-warmer-geworden~ac0504e2/

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Chrysoplenium alternifolium, a rare herb, on the red list in Belgium, indicator for pure, oxygen rich water.
Natural habitat: streamsides, woodland seeps, waterside meadows and  other wet places;
An early spring bloomer, you find it in Botanic Garden Meise.

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picture 2 plant area
grassland (Molinium caeruleae)

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picture 2 plant area
grassland (Molinium caeruleae)

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grassland with Caltha palustris (dotterbloemgrasland), very rare in Flanders, you find it in my bio-area Kollinten-wood, this is a picture taken last summer.
It needs nutritient-poor soil, calcareous or clayey soil. Wet in the winter, less wet in the summer, hay harvesting once a year.
together with: Silene flos-cuculi, Filipendula ulmaria, Lythrum salicaria, Dactylorhiza majalis, Rhinanthus angustifolius, Carex.

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finding-places in Flanders (N part of Belgium)

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Anemone nemerosa, early-spring flowering plant, herbaceous perennial plant, in shady oak and beech forests, they often carpet large areas.
You find it in the West side of Flanders.
together with: Hyacinthoides non-scripta and Allium ursinum.

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1. St John's-wort : Hypericum perforatum L. 
family: Hypericaceae
genus: Hypericum

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1. St John's-wort : Hypericum perforatum L. 
family: Hypericaceae
genus: Hypericum

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DESCRIPTION:

Perforate St John's wort is a herbaceous perennial plant with reddish stems. It can grow up to 1 m  high. It has opposite  leaves, yellow-green in color, with scattered translucent dots of glandular tissue. The dots are conspicuous when held up to the light, giving the leaves the "perforated" appearance to which the plant's Latin name refers. The flowers measure up to 2.5 cm (0.98 in) across, have five petals and sepals, and are colored bright yellow with conspicuous black dots. The flowers appear in broad  helicoid cymes at the ends of the upper branches, between late spring and early to mid summer. The cymes are leafy and bear many flowers. The pointed sepals have black glandular dots.

ORIGIN OF THE NAME:

1. Latin name:
hyper= above and eikon= picture, the plant was traditionally hanging above religious icons in the houses.
perforatum: the leaves have translucent dots of glandular tissue, they look perforated.

2. Common names:
a. St John's Wort of St Janskruid: harvested around St John's Feast day, the longest day of the year.

b.  Jaag-den-duivel: it was a defense against the devil, witches...

TREATMENTS: depression and wound-healing

The plant is used in treatment of depression. "hyperforin" is the primary phytochemical.
Flowers and stem are used for the  treatment of depression.

The oil extracted from the flowers is red-coloured and known for its antibacterial and wound-healing effect.

The plant is poisinous to livestock!

source: Arzeneipflanzen, altbekannt und neu entdeckt, 1993 Botanischer Garten Berlin

What the science says about St John's Wort for depression:

https://nccih.nih.gov/health/stjohnswort/sjw-and-depression.htm

paper on the hyperforin and St John's wort: They discovered that hyperforin can be used in treatment of alcoholism:

https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jphs/102/1/102_1_47/_pdf

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OIL St John's-wort: antibacterial and healing effect

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OIL St John's-wort: antibacterial and healing effect

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2. Tussilago farfara (Coltsfoot, Klein hoefblad, son before the father)
family: Asteraceae
genus: Tussilago L.

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2. Tussilago farfara (Coltsfoot, Klein hoefblad, son before the father)
family: Asteraceae
genus: Tussilago L.

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DESCRIPTION:
The plant is 10-30 cm in height.
It is a perrennial herbaceous plant. It is often found in groups, on waste and disturbed places. The flowers, which resemble dandelions, open on leafless stems in early spring before the leaves appear.

ORIGIN OF THE NAME:
1.  latin name:
tussis = cough, ago = to act on

2. common name:
coltsfoot: the leaves resemble a colt's foot.
Son before the father: the bright yellow flowers come out early in the spring and disappear before the leaves emerge.

MEDICINAL USE:
One of the oldest treatments against coughing.

Flowers, stems and leaves are used: flowers and stems are harvested at the peak of blooming in early spring. Leaves are harvested later in the spring and the best ones to pick are the ones that have all the black spots on them, because that’s the oil that’s surfacing on top.

Coltsfoot has been widely used as a folk remedy in Europe for thousands of years. It is used as a respiratory disinfectant, expectorant, and cough suppressant and makes an effective tea to clear congestion. Since the days of ancient Greece and Rome coltsfoot has been used to relieve asthma and bronchial congestion.
Coltsfoot is also one of the herbs traditionally smoked, and may be of help as a transition those who wish to quit smoking tobacco.

It is reserved for short term use: "Dosis facit venenam". The presence of some amounts of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in coltsfoot caution against consumption large doses, as this chemical can cause liver damage.

source: Arzeneipflanzen, altbekannt und neu entdeckt, 1993 Botanischer Garten Berlin

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Europe' s drought: heat, hardship and horrible harvest

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Europe' s drought: heat, hardship and horrible harvest

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https://www.euronews.com/2018/08/10/explained-europe-s-devastating-drought-and-the-countries-worst-hit
The drought last summer, especially north and central parts of Europe, had devastating impact on crops and nature, because of the extreme dryness stretching from Belgium to Finland. The European Drought Observatory's map shows this.

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Belgium is part of "The Continental Biogeographical region" in Europe. Belgium is among the most densily populated areas in the world.
climat characteristics: wet summers, rainy winters, not very cold: in general a mild climate.
https://www.klimaatinfo.nl/belgie/

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Alexander von Humboldt and his masterpiece Kosmos

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Alexander von Humboldt and his masterpiece Kosmos

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In Kosmos, he brought together the research of his career.
He unified diverse branches of scientific knowledge: geographie and natural sciences. He laid the foundation for modern geomagnetic and meteorological monitoring. He put the foundations for biogeographie: the interrelation of all sciences determined were specific plants grows. In 1800 and 1831, he described already the human-induced climate change. He was a traveler and measured accurate and collected data: basic of all scientific understanding. He had an holistic perception of the universe, without religious dogma.
(Darwin admired him.)

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https://www.frankdeboosere.be/klimaatukkel/oogvoorhetklimaat%20KMI%20juni%202009.pdf

data from 1900 till 2009 : temperature, rainfall, sunhours: all info and statistics showing the evolution in time.

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Picture of this year: Young Climate strikers in Brussels

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Picture of this year: Young Climate strikers in Brussels

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Young activists with Thunberg. Thunberg is now 16 years old, she started her solo-protest last year in august. They activate for an international action programme

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/mar/01/youth-climate-strikers-we-are-going-to-change-the-fate-of-humanity

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Record after record is broken...

Change in t° degrees: articles The Guardian february 2016
and  february 2019
2016: t° average almost 1,35° higher in february (compared 1951-2016)
2019 february: unusual heat records

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Record after record is broken...

Change in t° degrees: articles The Guardian february 2016
and  february 2019
2016: t° average almost 1,35° higher in february (compared 1951-2016)
2019 february: unusual heat records

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February 2016: t° average almost 1,35° higher in february (compared 1951-2016)
2019 february: unusual heat records
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/mar/02/uk-temperature-jump-february-incredible-climate-weather-carbon

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/mar/14/february-breaks-global-temperature-records-by-shocking-amount

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Consequenses of climate change for Europe

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Consequenses of climate change for Europe

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South and Central Europe are getting more and more heat waves, forest fires and droughts to process.
The Mediterranean region is becoming drier, making it even more vulnerable to drought and forest fires.
Northern Europe is considerably wetter, which means that more floods can occur in winter.
The urban areas , where 4 in 5 Europeans live today, are also affected by heat waves, flooding or sea level rises, but often they can not adapt as well to climate change.

Extreme weather, changing precipitation

Heavy rainfall and other extreme weather conditions are becoming increasingly common. This can lead to flooding , poorer water quality and, in some regions, an increasing water shortage .

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BEER= water + plant material: cereal grains (malted barley (germinated cereal grain that have been dried = malting), also wheat, maize (corn) and rice are used). Most modern beer is brewed with hops(Humulus lupulus L.) Some beers: + herbs or fruits.

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Genever is a malted grain- based spirit. It is a blend of two or more distillates: first: water + corn, wheat and rye (malt-wine), second: a
juniper (Juniperus berry) (Juniperus communis) infused distillate.

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important agricultural crops, among which many vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, collard greens, Savoy, kohlrabi

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group of food plants 2: family Solanaceae

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group of food plants 2: family Solanaceae

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The Solanaceas (or nightshade) are an economic important family of flowering plants. They include important food species as the potato (Solanum tuberosum), the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), the pepper (Capsicum annuum) and the aubergine or egg plant (Solanum melongena).

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Christmas trees
Evergreen conifer, such as a Spruce, Pine or Fir. 

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Christmas trees
Evergreen conifer, such as a Spruce, Pine or Fir. 

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family Pinaceae, Spruce (genus Picea), Fir (genus Abies) and Pine (genus Pinus)
Beautiful, most used christmas trees:
Colorado Blue Spruce (picture)
Scotch Pine
Fraser Fir
Douglas Fir
Balsam Fir

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Thyme, (Thymus vulgaris), pungent herb of the mint family (Lamiaceae) known for the aroma and flavour of its dried leaves and flowering tops. Thyme is native to Eurasia. It is used to flavour a wide range of foods. There are about 350 different species of thyme. They are herbaceous plants and sub-shrubs. They can grow to about 40 cm tall.

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Rosmarinus officinalis, commonly known as rosemary, is a woody, perennial herb with fragrant, evergreen, needle-like leaves and white, pink, purple, or blue flowers, native to the Mediterranean region. It is a member of the mint family Lamiaceae, which includes many other herbs.

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Theophrastus (Greek, 371 - 287 BC) : father of botany

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Theophrastus (Greek, 371 - 287 BC) : father of botany

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He made in two botanical treatises the first systematisation of the botanical world. In "The Enquiry into Plants"(350-287BC)  he classified plants according to their modes of generation, their localities, their sizes, and according to their practical uses such as foods, juices, herbs. "On the Causes of Plants" is about the growth of plants; the influences on their fecundity; the proper times they should be sown and reaped; the methods of preparing the soil, manuring it, and the use of tools; and of the smells, tastes, and properties of many types of plants, the economical uses of plants were his big interest.
He detected the process of germination and realized the importance of climate and soil to plants.

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Because of the changing climate, trees are weakening and more vulnerable to xylofage, insect-attacs. Our forests with Fagus sylvatica are very sensitive to waterstress and long dry periods.
Also Picea abies (see picture) will disappear in Belgium in the long term.

What can be done?

1.Not forests with only Fagus sylvatica and oaks, but the creation of woods with more diverse trees.
2.Wood corridors, so that trees can migrate.

https://wwf.be/nl/nieuws/het-effect-van-klimaatverandering-op-onze-belgische-bossen-doorgelicht/

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https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vlaamse_Rode_Lijst_(planten)
categories on the list (I give you the english terms as well)

momenteel niet bedreigd (for now not endangered)

achteruitgaand (declining)

bedreigd (endangered)

criteria niet van toepassing (does not apply)

kwetsbaar (vulnerable)

met verdwijning bedreigd (threatened with disappearance)

verdwenen uit Vlaanderen en het Brussels Gewest (disappeared in regions  Flanders and Brussels)

zeldzaam (rare)

onvoldoende bekend (no information)

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Wild plants  region Flanders: endangered or rare. 

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Wild plants  region Flanders: endangered or rare. 

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FIRST of all:
Orchidaceae:
Orchids can only grow with their typical mycorrhiza in the soil. The extreme small seeds cannot develop without the corresponding mycorrhiza. From all the flowerplants, the orchids are the most recent and most evolved.
1. Neottia ovata( grote keverorchis)

2. Dactylorhiza fuchsii (bosorchis): rare (see picture )

3. Dactylorhiza maculata  (gevlekte orchis) They disappear because they need a wet soil.

4. Dactylorhiza fistulosa (brede orchis)

5 . Dactylorhiza majalis (rietorchis)

6. Ophrys apifera (bijenorchis):  very rare

7. Anacamptis pyramidalis  (hondskruid)

The finding-places in Flanders, the north part of the country, of Dactylorhiza fuchsii.

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vulnerable, rare and endangered plants in Flanders

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vulnerable, rare and endangered plants in Flanders

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Blackstonia perfoliata subsp. perfoliata (zomerbitterling), rare

Paris quadrifolia (eenbes), rare, medicinal plant used in homeopathie

Astragalus glycyphyllos (hokjespeul), very rare,
medicinal plant, roots and leaves are used, it is activating the immune system

Equisetum hyemale
(schaafstro),rare

Corispermum intermedium (smal vlieszaad), rare

filago minima (dwergviltkruid), vulnerable

Inula helenium ( griekse alant), rare, medicinal plant, leaves and roots are used as herbal medicine for many diseases (see picture)

Lathyrus nissolia (graslathyrus),
endangered

Polystichum setiferum (zachte naaldvaren), rare

Rhinanthus minor( kleine ratelaar) and (Rhinanthus angustifolius)  grote ratelaar, vulnerable

Samolus valerandi (waterpunge), very rare

Scutellaria mino ( klein glidkruid), rare

Stachys arvensis (akkerandoorn), rare

Trifolium medium ( bochtige klaver), vulnerable

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This is reading material !
42 different cases: from Sweden to Hungary and Italy

Offcourse, this is big business. But it is already another way of thinking..
The "edible forest garden" (see plan theme 5) is on a smaller scale with a lot of profits.

https://www.agforward.eu/index.php/en/home-redirect.html

By December 2014, AGFORWARD had created 42 stakeholder groups to identify, develop, and field-test innovations that could improve the benefits and viability of agroforestry in Europe. Further groups are being created.

Each stakeholder group, usually situated in one country or region, is focusing on improving one of four types of agroforestry system:

Existing agroforestry systems of high nature and cultural value such as the Dehesa and Montado systems in Spain and Portugal and wood pastures and parkland in Germany and the UK

Integrating grazing or intercropping in high value tree systems including olives, fruit trees, and walnut and cherry grown for high value timber

Integrating trees into arable systems

Integrating trees in livestock systems

I just pick one of the cases, Belgium is not in the project (?)

Greece: Intercropping of Orange Groves in Greece.

In Crete, citrus cultivation covers about 4500 ha. For many years, farmers in the Chania area of Crete have cultivated crops between their citrus trees from pollarding until the trees achieve a full canopy. Farmers also use cypress trees as windbreaks to protect the citrus trees from wind.

The field trial in Crete demonstrated the feasibility of a establishing a nitrogen-fixing chickpea intercrop between the orange trees.  This occurred when the orange tree canopy was incomplete following grafting of new scions.  The chickpeas can reduce the need for artificial nitrogen fertilisers.  Rather than harvesting the crop, the farmer integrated the crop into the soil to improve soil fertility and health.

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Tropical and subtropical coniferous forests

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The aim of WP7 is to adapt and evaluate agroforestry designs and practices for locations where agroforestry is currently not widely-practised or is declining, and quantify the opportunities for uptake at a landscape scale.

https://www.agforward.eu/index.php/en/landscape-scale-evalutations.html

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Natuurpunt is the largest Belgian nature conservation organization. 

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Natuurpunt is the largest Belgian nature conservation organization. 

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It is working with 6000 volunteers,  it has about 500 reserve projects with a surface of 22.500 ha (1.1.2017).Buying land is in the long term the best method to maintain the natural values in the intensively used Flemish landscape.
Natuurpunt has about 200 local branches which run thousands of activities such as guiding in nature reserves, biking, exhibitions and lectures. Volunteers are also lobbying local authorities and monitoring species and habitats.

I am monitoring the butterflies in the area with the volunteers. During 5 months, every 2 weeks , (15/year) we run the same route and count the different butterflies. When it is raining or a lot of wind, the butterflies are hiding. There is a big correlation between  butterflies and  plants: butterflies have their specific host plant. No host plant, no new butterflies....
As an example: Celastrina argiolus needs Hedera helix, Ilex aquifolium, Buddleja davidii, Lythrum salicaria,.....

Natuurpunt has more than 125 local and regional working groups on forests, policy, nature reserves and nature study.

https://www.natuurpunt.be/pagina/natuurpunt-english

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Botanical Garden Meise: projects of protection

On my free monday, I work in The Botanic Garden as a volunteer in the herbarium. 

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Botanical Garden Meise: projects of protection

On my free monday, I work in The Botanic Garden as a volunteer in the herbarium. 

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Plant biodiversity is threatened world-wide due to habitat destruction, pollution, the spread of invasive species, overexploitation, and climate change. Plant diversity plays a crucial role in the functioning of ecosystems, and many species hold unknown treasures such as molecules with helpful medicinal properties. The safeguarding of plant diversity is therefore essential. Their research contributes to the development of tools for conservation of plants in natural habitats as well as in living collections or seed bank of the Botanic Garden.

A picture of the World Seedbank, in Spitsbergen.

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My work for group 3

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The authors of group 3 present you two Plant Diversity Hotspots volledige tekst