THE INTERNATIONAL RIVER MEUSE PROJECT


The River Meuse, originating in Eastern France, crosses into Belgium after flowing one third of its course. During the last century, it was mainly regarded as a communication waterway. As a result its course in Belgium has been used intensively for industrial purposes and is also heavily urbanized. Industrial activities sometimes stretch out for miles along the course of the river.

WWF-Belgium works closely with WWF-Netherlands and WWF-France to develop and implement an international campaign to protect the river by assessing the quality of the whole ecosystem, and restore natural habitats wherever feasible. The disastrous floodings of December 1994 and January 1995 dramatically showed that measures should be taken to allow the River Meuse to flow freely again in a wide waterbed. This is the only way to effectively reduce the devastating effect of human interference on the flow of the river. Further diking and damming will only result in a displacement of flooding problems.

This project is part of WWF-International's "International River Meuse Project". All three WWF NO's involved are acting as advisors to the national authorities in charge of the River Meuse. They follow up the activities of the International Maas Commission, set up to decide on further joint-management procedures to be undertaken by the three countries involved.

WWF Belgium has been lobbying the different usergroups of the River Meuse in order to convince them to organise their activities in a sustainable way. The starting point is the notion that the different river functions should be integrated in a way that the river's basic ecology is maintained. Contacts have already been established with industrial groups, fishermen's organisations and the Belgian association of insurance companies.

The ecological functioning of the river can only be established when enough sites along the borders of the river are allowed to develop naturally. Therefore the primary goal is to achieve a network of natural sites from source to estuary.

WWF-Belgium, together with its partner organizations, is involved in the purchase of natural sites in the region of the Grensmaas, the only part of the river that is not straightened and thus allows for major nature development projects. In 1996, a national fundraising campaign will be launched for the purchase of land.


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Copyright 1996, The World Wide Fund For Nature