After the very successful 2025 edition, the InterLIFE Benelux meeting returned in 2026, this time to Turnhout, Belgium. The event was organised by Natuurpunt and the LIFE Nardus & Limosa project on 11 and 12 May.

The InterLIFE meeting is a unique platform for LIFE projects in the Benelux countries to come together and share knowledge and experiences. The meeting connects scientists, policymakers and site managers through thematic presentations, workshops and field visits.

On the first day, after the opening remarks by the mayor of Turnhout, Hannes Anaf, and the director of Natuurpunt, Sven Rooms, Marilda Dhaskali from BirdLife International gave a presentation about the future of LIFE in the new Multiannual Financial Framework. Participants had a chance to delve into the setup of the new MFF and ask questions about the potential opportunities and limitations regarding the LIFE project under the new framework.

After the opening sessions, three workshops took place simultaneously covering the topics of: ‘Building multi-stakeholder support for wetland restoration’, ‘Citizen science’ and ‘Transboundary cooperation and networking’, which was organized under the LIFE B4B project and lead by Harm Schoten, the Director of Eurosite and Tom Andries, project coordinator of the LIFE B4B from ANB.

Presentation by Harm Schoten — *Harm Schoten (Eurosite) leading the workshop ‘Transboundary cooperation between site managers’*

During the afternoon, various LIFE projects were presented, topics ranging from

Natuurpunt creating a nature trail which is accessible for people with reduced mobility, within the LIFE Green Valleys project; and
Connectivity analyses within the LIFE Connexions project, contributing to the conservation of the critically endangered Violet copper (Lycaena helle);
To the tedious battle against Invasive Aquatic Alien Species on the Weerribben and De Wieden patchwork habitats of reed beds, sedge marshland, quaking bogs, marsh forests and open waters by the LIFE PeatProtect IAAS project

The program of the first day ended with a pitch carousel, where projects were introduced to the audience in a very short, 3 – 5-minute, format. This allowed multiple projects and initiatives to be presented in a shorter amount of time but still provide enough information to spark interest in follow-up actions or collaboration. The Peat Pals for LIFE project was pitched by Alessio Cocco, who is the Project coordinator of the project for the Flemish sites. The talk showcased the various results so far, including the restoration of 8 kilometers of dams at the Fochteloërveen (the Dutch site of the project) by low-emission restoration techniques; the creation of the ‘Sphagnum walking route’; the Project booklets prepared by Natuurpunt and the various guided tours for local residents to the Abeek, Dommel and Veewei (the Flemish sites of the project).

Alessio Cocco presenting the Peat Pals for LIFE project — *Alessio Cocco (Natuurpunt) pitching the achieved results of the Peat Pals for LIFE project*

Similarly to last year’s event, the focus of the second day was field trips, where participants visited three sites of the LIFE Nardus & Limosa project.

Our first stop was the Turnhouts Vennengebied, which is a highly diverse landscape, where meadow birds, such as the Black-tailed godwit (Limosa limosa) were busy nesting. Our guides showed us photos of the site before the various restoration works of the area, such as removing the nutrient-rich top layer, P-mining or sod cutting, took place and gave insight about the various challenges of the restoration work.

Field presentation — Joost Vogels of Bargerveen Foundation (bottom left) and Stephanie Schelfhout of Ghent University (middle) demonstrating the soil profile of the restoration site at Turnhouts Vennengebied

After a walk among the very restlessly calling meadow birds, the next site was the semi-open landscape of the Weelde Kampheide. Here, ANB and Natuurpunt restored several inland dunes with various techniques, such as removing the nutrient-rich top layer and P-mining. It was very interesting to see how different results -and challenges therefore- can stem from the different applied restoration methods.

Ravels Kampheide — *Participants got a better grasp of the applied techniques and challenges of inland dune restoration of the Weelde Kampheide*

Lastly, the bus crossed the Belgian-Dutch border and arrived at the Rovertsche Heide site. Historically, pine trees were planted in the area to supply forestry operations. Now, thanks to the work of Brabants Landschap Foundation, the managers of the site, a large central area has been cleared again, by removing young forest to allow for the restoration of heathland and Nardus grasslands.

Rovertsche heide — *Restoration site of the LIFE Nardus & Limosa project at Rovertsche Heide*

This year’s InterLIFE Benelux event showed again that cross-border projects and collaboration are vital to achieve restoration targets and preserving key habitats to curb biodiversity and habitat loss, which are the most pressing issues of our time.

It is great to see that every year more and more participants and projects are involved in this event. We are looking forward to the 2027 edition, elsewhere in the Benelux or beyond .. !

#Restoration

InterLIFE Benelux in Turnhout - Where Europe comes together and meadow birds thrive

Preserving the Fochteloërveen: Innovative and Low-Emission Dam Restoration

Peatland Perspectives: restoring nature’s climate heroes for tomorrow

Monitor visit to the Valley of the Abeek