SONIAN FOREST

The 'Sonian Forest' (Dutch: ''Zoniënwoud'', French: ''Forêt de Soignes'') is a 44 km² (4421 hectare) forest on the southeast of Brussels, Belgium.
The forest lays in the Flemish municipalities of Sint-Genesius-Rode, Hoeilaart, Overijse and Tervuren, in Ukkel/Uccle, Watermaal-Bosvoorde/Watermael-Boitsfort, Oudergem/Auderghem and Sint-Pieters-Woluwe/Woluwe-Saint-Pierre in the Brussels-Capital Region and in the Walloon towns of La Hulpe and Waterloo. Thus, it stretches out over all three Belgian Regions.
It is maintained by Flanders (56%), the Brussels-Capital Region (38%) and Wallonia (6%). Adjacent are some private parts and the Kapucijnenbos which belongs to the Royal Trust.

Contents

History

References

See also

External links

History

The first mention of the Sonian Forest dates from the early middle ages. Then the forest was crossed by the river Zenne. The forest is probably part of the remains of the ancient ''Silva Carbonaria'' or Coal Forest. At the start of the 19th century the area of the wood was still about 100 square kilometres but due to wood cutting its area diminished to its current area of 44.21 km².
The forest consists mainly of European beeches and oaks. Several trees are more than 200 years old. The forest served for a long period as an exclusive hunting ground for the nobility, but today is open to the general public.
The forest contains various fauna and flora. Due to human influence and distortion of the eco system various plants and animals have become extinct. The forest was home to 46 different mammal species. Of these seven have disappeared all together: the brown bear (around 1000), the wolf (around 1810), the hazel dormouse (around 1842) the Red Deer, the badger and the hare. The boar was thought to be extinct since 1957 but in 2007 new specimens were discovered roaming the wood.^[1] According to the Flemish Agency for Nature and Forest (ANB) it is unlikely a natural spread but probably two to four animals which most likely were either released or escaped from captivity.

References

1. Wild boars return to forest

See also

★ Bois de la Cambre/Ter Kamerenbos

★ Rood-Klooster (''Rouge-Cloître'')

External links

★ Official site

★ Sonian Forest Platform (in Dutch and French)