Schilde is a residential municipality in the periphery of Antwerp, where a relatively large proportion of the area is occupied by residential parks. There are several (valuable) nature and forest core areas present such as Schildehof, Antitankgracht, Gravinnenbos, De Haar, Drijhoeksbos and the Schans of Schilde. These cores are not always (optimally) connected.In its Nature Plan, the municipality analyzes the situation and provides more interpretation of its vision with a list of actions that focus on three areas: the nature and forest core areas, the nature enhancement areas and the village cores.This assignment fits within the complex project New Edge, specifically the area program Climate Belt. The Climate Belt is a blue-green-yellow belt committed to various aspects of climate transition and biodiversity gains:
- The development of links or missing links between existing ecological and landscape wholes
- The development of larger and contiguous natural and forest areas
- Integration of robust agricultural space within the landscape
- Interweaving of green and blue structures with a view to wet nature and quality water systems
- De-cluttering and building shift as a counterpoint to the cluttering of space
- Create soft recreational connections, i.f.v. meeting space between humans and animals