Land Use Map

The study area land use map reveals patterns of differing use. There are four main land uses. Pastures are mostly found in the lower-lying areas and cover 38 ha of the study area. During the February and March visits, the pastures in the south of the study area were partially flooded, and only the smaller and higher-lying pastures were in use, with grazing horses present. Cows appeared during the third visit in April, when the flooded fields had dried out. Only about half of the pastures have their attribute populated, as only the visually confirmed fields are attributed. Many fields remained empty during all three visits.

Land used for growing crops covers 22 ha of the area. These crop fields are mostly very small, with a single large field in the south of the area. Unfortunately, about half of the crops could not be identified, as the growth was too young. The other half could be identified by the remains of the previous season’s growth or by highly recognisable plants. The study area features a wide variety of crops, including sunflowers, corn, grapes and several fruit trees, such as apple and cherry orchards, as well as vineyards.

Forests cover 18 ha of the land. A large part was planted for production purposes by the Catala paper mill, but after the 2015 bankruptcy it came into the hands of the Province of Flemish Brabant. The forest is surrounded by barbed wire fencing, but will be opened to the public in the future (Provincie Vlaams-Brabant, 2026b). The remaining forests located in the study area appear to feature more organic growth patterns, and are often located near private properties or infrastructure, such as the embankment of the highway bridge in the west of the study area.

Wild growth covers 3.6 ha, and is mostly found along the main roads, railway and highway. Residential use is the final land use and covers 16 ha. The private properties can be divided into two very distinct types. Small plots featuring villas with small gardens are found in the north-east of the study area, built in the 1950s (Immoweb, 2026). The entire south-eastern side of the study area features much larger private properties, with privacy and views of the Zenne valley.

Together, these mapped land use categories cover 97.6 ha. The difference with the total study area of 107 ha is explained by water, roads and paths that were not included in the main land use totals.