Bilzen (Brussels Morning Newspaper): Since 2012, Munsterbos in Hoge Kempen National Park has supported local birds with 200 nest boxes. They are adding 168 new boxes through Oudsbergen Nature Aid Centre, led by curator Ward Cielen.
Since 2012, the Munsterbos Nature Reserve, now part of Hoge Kempen National Park, has been running a successful project to support local birds. A group of dedicated volunteers has installed about 200 nest boxes in different areas, providing safe places for birds to nest. They regularly count and tag the birds to gather important information that helps improve nature management.
What steps are being taken to replace old nest boxes in Munsterbos?
Many of the old nest boxes in the Munsterbos nature reserve are getting worn out and need to be replaced. To keep this project going, Hoge Kempen National Park has partnered with the Oudsbergen Nature Aid Centre to buy 168 new nest boxes. The Nature Aid Centre has a workshop and knows how to make strong nest boxes that will last a long time. Ward Cielen, the curator of the Munsterbos, says these new boxes will help the project continue and give local birds safe places to nest. This work shows a strong commitment to improving the natural environment in the Munsterbos and Hoge Kempen National Park.
The new birdhouses are great for birds that like to nest in cavities, such as the pied flycatcher, nuthatch, marsh tit, black tit, great tit, and blue tit. They are made to keep predators away, with an extra block in front of the entrance hole that stops pine martens, squirrels, and raccoons from getting inside. In 2025, the Munsterbos management team will change the old nest boxes in different spots, so the birds can use these new homes next spring.
