Duingebieden

The wide variety of habitats along the coast — such as the typical mudflats and salt marshes, sand dunes, and dune valleys — attracts unique plants and animals. This zone includes most of the dune areas along our coast, as well as the IJzer estuary, the Zwin, and several inland dunes. This Habitat Directive site largely overlaps with the West Coast Special Protection Area under the Birds Directive and partially with the Zwin Special Protection Area. In the dune areas, there is a great diversity of habitats, featuring transitions from saltwater mudflats and marshes, beaches (locally with foredunes), to calcareous and less calcareous dunes, and finally to polders.

This area is located within the municipalities of De Panne, Koksijde, Nieuwpoort, Middelkerke, Ostend, Bredene, De Haan, Blankenberge, Bruges, and Knokke-Heist.

One of the areas where you can encounter many species is the 'De Haan Dune Forests', where you may find species such as the Lizard Orchid, the Sand Starwort, or the Coastal Grasshopper..

Click here for more information about the De Haan Dune Forests area!

Click here to go to the Bioblitz page of this Natura 2000 area.

Click here to install Obsidentify.
 

Photo: lizzard orchid (Marc Leten)