Ghent (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – In Ghent, Bijloke ring road construction uses a sprinkler system to distribute pumped groundwater and protect valuable trees, while the city displays each tree’s assessed value at the worksite.
AS VRT News reported, in Ghent, work on the Bijloke ring road is continuing for several months, and the city is taking steps to protect its valuable trees. The intersection is being redesigned, and the sewers are being renovated, which requires pumping out large amounts of groundwater.
Officials mentioned that lowering the groundwater level can put nearby trees at risk, especially during the ongoing drought. To prevent damage, the contractor has set up a sprinkler system that spreads the pumped water across the central reservation and into the nearby park. The water goes directly to the roots.
How is Ghent protecting €100,000 trees at the Bijloke ring road?
Officials say some of the trees are extremely valuable, with prices estimated at up to €100,000 each.
“When we lower the groundwater, the roots do not get enough water. With the drought continuing, this sprinkler system ensures the trees stay alive,”
explains Jef Schoenmaekers of the Roads and Traffic Agency.
“Such a sprinkler system isn’t very common,”
Schoenmaekers continues.
“It’s something the municipality or city can require in a permit application. Ghent does so because it has such unique trees.”
At the Bijloke ring road construction site in Ghent, the city is taking careful measures to protect its valuable trees. Each tree that needs protection has been cordoned off with barriers to prevent damage during the ongoing road works.
In addition, individual posters have been placed near each tree showing its exact value. These values are calculated using the Tree Value Calculator from the Association for Public Green Spaces (VOOG).
“It’s a widely used tool that indicates how much it would cost to replant a tree of that type, with that lifespan, in that location, and in its current conditions,”
says Vito Lessens of VOOG.
“The tree value also serves as a basis for filing claims if trees are damaged during construction projects. In Ghent, this calculation is almost standard practice for major projects; elsewhere, it’s even less common.”
Ghent hopes the campaign will raise awareness of the need for the preservation of the old and unique trees. Officials stress the need to recognise that what is valued about a tree is not just its value in money, but also its ecological, historical, and aesthetic value. The city also encourages other municipalities to implement similar measures.
Ghent has been actively protecting trees during major construction projects for several years. In 2021, the city used barriers and monitoring to safeguard trees during the renovation of the Vlaanderenstraat. In 2022, similar measures were taken at the Sint-Pietersstation site, where valuable trees were preserved despite heavy roadwork. The current project at the Bijloke ring road, which started earlier this year in 2025, continues this approach.
