Timber edge management for resilient soil

In 2016, Farmers Nature Flanders pioneered the incorporation of woodchips into agricultural soil. As part of the Bodemgoud project, they are now taking the lead in gradual spreading of wood chips together with the Proef- en Vormingscentrum voor Landbouw and the Regionaal Landschap Lage Kempen. At a demonstration event in Pelt, this technique was explained.

Within the Bodemgoud project and with the financial support of LEADER Kempen, Province of Limburg, Pelt, Peer and Hamont-Achel, 14 farmers in northern Limburg have already incorporated wood chips into the soil since August 2024, accounting for about 21 ha. From autumn 2026, they can even use wood chips from their own municipality thanks to the new valorisation chains in which wood chips from municipal wood edge management are used as soil improvers.

“Woodchip incorporation is becoming well embedded among farmers in northern Limburg. It is nice to see how many farmers are interested in this technique that has a positive social impact through CO2 storage. We hope to eventually be able to give all interested parties the opportunity to try out this technique.” Thus Fientje Verbruggen, project coordinator of Farmers' Nature Flanders.

“By working wood chips into the soil, we increase the organic matter content. This improves soil structure and makes the soil more resilient to weather extremes such as wet or dry periods.” Says Marijke Gijbels, deputy coordinator at PVL. The gradual spreading of wood chips is currently being experimented with. A soil scan then closely maps the organic matter content of those plots. This way, farmers know exactly where to add extra wood chips for a better balanced soil structure.

Liesbeth Fransen, alderman for agriculture of the municipality of Pelt: “As a local government, we want to support farmers who take care of their land. Soil Gold helps us to build together a strong, future-oriented agricultural sector. Here, actively introducing carbon into farmland is a measure that improves the health of fields.”

Besides improving soil quality, Soil Gold also works to enhance the landscape quality of wooded edges. “We protect future trees in wood edges by giving them a grooming. Descending trees we preserve as much as possible as habitat trees, because they are ecologically particularly valuable for mosses, fungi, woodpeckers and bats.” Says Karel Hermys, landscape and nature officer at RLLK.

Inge Moors, member of the Provincial Executive for Agriculture, Limburg Province, puts her shoulder to the wheel for Bodemgoud: “With the LEADER grant programme, we invest in projects that have a positive social impact in terms of innovative and sustainable agriculture, liveable and lively villages or biodiversity and landscape quality. Soil Gold is a good example of this: it encourages farmers to take care of their soil, connects partners on the ground and stores CO2 in the soil, which is an important measure in the fight against climate change. A healthy soil is not only the basis for profitable agriculture, but also for a resilient Limburg landscape.”