Laying the Groundwork for a Cross-Border Forest Vision in the Zeeuws-Wase Region (BE-NL)

The EGTC Linieland van Waas en Hulst is proud to announce the launch of a cross-border initiative aimed at developing a strategic, spatial vision for the Zeeuws-Wase Bossen—a mosaic of forested and natural landscapes spanning the municipalities of Hulst (NL), Sint-Gillis-Waas (BE), and Stekene (BE). This vision will serve as a shared development agenda to guide sustainable spatial planning and territorial cooperation in the region.

This pilot project, supported under the Resilient Borders initiative (Spatial Planning lot), is co-funded by the European Union. It enables stakeholders to work collaboratively on key cross-border challenges related to biodiversity, fire safety, water management, recreational access, and land-use pressure.

Through this initiative, we aim to create a unifying and visually engaging roadmap for the region’s forests, integrating ecological, functional, and cultural dimensions across national boundaries. The goal is not only to align existing ambitions but to develop a future-proof spatial strategy that addresses the climate transition while safeguarding local identities and regional cohesion.

The project builds upon years of preparatory work, including prior stakeholder consultations, exploratory discussions, and a growing consensus on the need for a coherent, cross-border approach. It will enable the region to translate this work into an actionable agenda. To date, more than 10 partners from both sides of the border have been actively engaged, creating a strong foundation for the next steps. This collaboration has enabled us to scale up both the ambition and the quality of the process.

We have now completed the public procurement and are finalising the first step of the process. A professional agency will lead the translation of the findings into a strategic, visual, and actionable vision for the Zeeuws-Wase Bossen, but before doing so, we need to outline the process for establishing a stakeholder-driven and widely supported agenda. By September, the first tangible results—specifically a roadmap—will be presented on how to achieve this goal.

The aim of this vision goes beyond climate and spatial planning. It is about creating an integrated agenda that reflects all relevant themes and actors with an interest in the area: from biodiversity and water management to recreation, safety, housing, and local economic activities. This inclusive approach ensures that the final vision is not only comprehensive, but also grounded in the realities and ambitions of the region.

By investing in this process, the region demonstrates the power of structured cross-border cooperation to address complex territorial challenges. The outcomes of this pilot will provide valuable lessons and a reference point for other border regions.

We warmly thank the European Commission, AEBR, and MOT for their continued support in making this initiative possible.