44 Flemish municipalities adopt animals and plants
Hoeselt has it with badgers, Tongeren fell in love with the little owl and Maaseik chose the beautiful demoiselle. Over the last month, all municipalities in the Flemish region of Limburg adopted 'their' species.
The deputy for nature conservation, Frank Smeets, explains the project: "Biodiversity is in danger - not only worldwide, but also specifically in our region. We still host a number of species that can be found nowhere else in Flanders."
Choosing a species was only the first step in the Countdown 2010 project "Municipalities adopt Species in Limburg". "The municipalities agreed to take measurable steps to protect their species. Our project office will help them define an action plan - and monitor progress afterwards."
- List of adopted species
- Province of Limburg
- 44 Limburgse Gemeenten Adopteren Dieren en Planten (Het Belang Van Limburg, 17/06/06, pdf)
List of adopted species
3570 ALKEN - European Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)
- 3665 AS
- Common Juniper (Juniperus communis)
- 3580 BERINGEN
- Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago)
- 3740 BILZEN
- Small Blue (Cupido minimus)
- 3950 BOCHOLT
- Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella)
- 3840 BORGLOON
- Cowslip (Primula veris)
- 3960 BREE
- Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio)
3590 DIEPENBEEK - Common tree frog (Hyla arborea)
- 3650 DILSEN-STOKKEM
- Bush Cricket (Ephippiger ephippiger)
- 3600 GENK
- Natterjack Toad (Bufo calamita)
- 3890 GINGELOM
- Mining Bee (Andrena hattorfiana)
- 3545 HALEN
- Common Polypody (Polypodium vulgare)
- 3945 HAM
- Variable Damselfly (Coenagrion pulchellum)
- 3930 HAMONT-ACHEL
- Grayling (Hipparchia semele)
- 3500 HASSELT
- Common Swift (Apus apus)
3940 HECHTEL-EKSEL - European Nightjar (Caprimulgus europaeus)
- 3870 HEERS
- Geoffroy's Bat (Myotis emarginatus)
- 3540 HERK-DE-STAD
- Weather Loach (Misgurnus fossilis)
- 3717 HERSTAPPE
- Common restharrow (Ononis repens)
- 3550 HEUSDEN-ZOLDER
- White Admiral (Limenitis camilla)
- 3730 HOESELT
- European badger (Meles meles)
- 3530 HOUTHALEN-HELCHTEREN
- Common green grasshopper (Omocestus viridulus)
3640 KINROOI - Purple Emperor (Apatura iris)
- 3720 KORTESSEM
- Garden Dormouse (Eliomys quercinus)
- 3620 LANAKEN
- Mazarine Blue (Polyommatus semiargus)
- 3970 LEOPOLDSBURG
- Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius)
- 3920 LOMMEL
- Woodlark (Lullula arborea)
- 3560 LUMMEN
- House Martin (Delichon urbicum)
- 3680 MAASEIK
- Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo)
- 3630 MAASMECHELEN
- European Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola)
- 3670 MEEUWEN-GRUITRODE
- Wood Crickets (Nemobius sylvestris)
- 3910 NEERPELT
- Curlew (Numenius arquata)
3850 NIEUWERKERKEN- Barn Owl (Tyto alba)
- 3660 OPGLABBEEK
- Palmate Newt (Lissotriton helveticus)
- 3900 OVERPELT
- Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi)
- 3990 PEER
- Common spadefoot (Pelobates fuscus)
- 3770 RIEMST
- Corn Bunting (Miliaria calandra)
- 3800 SINT-TRUIDEN
- Skylark (Alauda arvensis)
- 3980 TESSENDERLO
- Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus)
- 3700 TONGEREN
- Little Owl (Athene noctua)
3790 VOEREN - Hazel Dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius)
- 3520 ZONHOVEN
- Great Bittern (Botaurus stellaris)
- 3690 ZUTENDAAL
- Glanville Fritillary (Melitaea cinxia)
- 3830 WELLEN
- Northern Crested Newt (Triturus cristatus)