In Wavre, Belgium, the facades of buildings are vegetated

The city of Wavre in Belgium is launching an operation to revegetate the facades, with one main objective: to promote biodiversity and the circulation of fauna. The other advantages of this operation are numerous: the vegetation reduces the impact of environmental noise, it brings freshness and creates social interaction.

Each inhabitant can make a request for facade greening. If it is accepted, the town hall technically intervenes to create a planting pit.

Marianne Cwiek, eco-advisor at the city of Wavre: “The technical services open the sidewalk, remove the slabs, the coating, dig a pit, provide good soil that will allow the plants to develop well.

This is not possible everywhere, due to the presence of gas pipes or electrical ducts, or the insufficient width of some sidewalks. “

“When a planting pit is not possible, the inhabitants have the possibility to revegetate from their balcony.”

Marianne Cwiek, eco-advisor

to franceinfo

The city of Wavre therefore takes charge of the work but it also subsidizes the purchase of plants and supports for climbing plants, up to 80% of the expenditure for a maximum amount of 200 euros per building.

The inhabitants then have the choice between wooden supports or metal cables. Then they choose their climbing plants from a list studied and established by the municipality.

“We started with native climbing plants. There aren’t many of them. We used hops, ivy, and honeysuckle. Hedge clematis was ruled out because it is too difficult to manage. The bindweed was obviously not selected either, it does not need to be subsidized, it will come and settle on its own!

We have therefore added to the list hydrangeas, jasmine, bignone, vines, trellised fruit trees, clematis which keep themselves wise … “

“The inhabitants can find what they are looking for in a list of about twenty plants.”

Marianne Cwiek

to franceinfo

The inhabitants who green their facade obviously undertake to maintain it and replace the plants at their expense if they die.

The example of Wavre is not unique in Wallonia, a particularly dynamic region in terms of urban networking and environmental initiatives.

Next Saturday November 27, as every year, the Walloon region is organizing tree distributions. In Wavre, 2,700 trees will be distributed free of charge to residents.