Forêt & Naturalité: Restoring dynamic, thriving forests in Belgium

We warmly welcome Forêt & Naturalité to the Global Rewilding Alliance, and extend their heartfelt invitation to rediscover a unique relationship with our forests by letting nature lead the way. Rooted in the unexpected wild beauty of Wallonia, this Belgian nonprofit specialises in promoting the ecosystem functioning of forests and the concept of rewilding. From sharing knowledge to defending wild spaces, they’re on a mission to give forests space to thrive. 

That mission is woven into three different aspects of their work:

• Awareness & Education: Championing concepts like free evolution, naturalness and rewilding for everyone: professionals, institutions, everyday nature lovers and the wider public as well. They spark conversations through events, publications, and thought leadership.
• Protection: They focus on protecting forest areas in Belgium that still retain a high degree of natural character. They envision and advocate for integral reserves where nature can thrive, with people lending a helping hand to nature.
• Participation: Beyond their borders, they stand with other groups defending wild spaces. Together, they uplift the global movement to safeguard natural forests everywhere.

Freely Evolving Forests

Forests are more than just green backgrounds: they’re living ecosystems. By encouraging natural processes like deadwood decay and predator patterns, we can help these ecosystems become more resilient and biodiverse. Within their wide array of resources, Forêt & Naturalité explores topics like:

• Free evolution in protected areas in Wallonia – which aims to formulate concrete and useful recommendations for public authorities and stakeholders in forestry.
• A call for more deadwood in the forest!
• The bark Beetle crisis, where the team challenges the way we see this crisis and reinforces that “letting nature take its course” must be considered more frequently and more seriously, both for its ecological benefits and for its economic and social advantages.

One especially moving example: In Bouillon, the Épine forest has been left to evolve freely for approximately 15 years. Today, fallen trees and decomposing wood support a multitude of species, creating vibrant life from decay.

How Their Work Comes To Life

• Events & Learning: Forest excursions, thematic talks, conferences, and ciné-débats (film-and-discuss sessions) that immerse you in the heartbeat of the forest.

• Insightful Resources: Richly researched articles, downloadable folders, newsletters, and field activity reports that unpack forest challenges with optimism and clarity.

• Local Roots, Ambitious Reach: Based in Gerpinnes, Belgium, since 2015, Forêt & Naturalité brings rewilding to the forefront in Belgium and contributes to the global movement.

Forêt & Naturalité invites you to embrace your imagination for how we can play a part in transforming our local forests into beautiful, abundant places.

Whether you’re a curious citizen, an educator, or a professional, you’re invited to explore nature through field outings and debates, feel inspired by stories of life returning to the wild and contribute to a vision where forests are recognised as living ecosystems.

Here, rewilding is creative, collaborative, and deeply human.

With Forêt & Naturalité within our alliance, we continue to make space for the wild, and let every forest story lead us forward, one fallen log at a time.