Hasselt (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The Kapermolen camper site in Hasselt, once a gravel lot, won 2 climate awards for adding wadis, trees, and native plants. Arne Ferket and Peter Vandyck helped realize it.
The Kapermolen camper site in Hasselt won an award for being climate-friendly because it helps with 3 big climate change problems: heat, drought, and flooding. Arne Ferke said that it was constructed to cool down the area, prevent water from evaporating, and avoid flooding. He added that the site had been a parking lot filled with gravel, but now it is lined with plants and trees. This prevents the area from heating up during the day and nighttime.
“Drought and flooding: water can stay here,”
Ferket continues.
“If there is too much water, it can be buffered so that campers do not have wet feet. The water can infiltrate so that the plants can continue to grow during dry periods.”
How did the Kapermolen camper site in Hasselt win 2 climate awards?
According to the officials, the Kapermolen camper site is also designed to handle both too much and too little water. The site has special areas called wadis, which are like shallow basins that hold extra water when it rains heavily, so the site doesn’t flood. The water also soaks into the ground.
They mentioned that the site is protected from both floods and droughts. The city received an award for this work, and they used the money to build an insect hotel, which helps bugs and makes the site a more natural part of the city.
The Kapermolen camper site in Hasselt won 2 awards for being green and climate-friendly just one year after it opened. Officials mentioned that the Kapermolen camper site has some special features that make it good for the environment. They planted lots of different types of plants that are native to the area. These plants need very little care and help make the city more biodiverse.
Peter Vandyck, from the Association for Public Green, says the site meets all the standards for being sustainable. He mentioned that public spaces can be changed in ways that are good for the climate. The Kapermolen camper site is a great place for travelers and also helps the environment.
“It is within walking distance of the center, close to the Grote Ring and yet it is located in the green and a few minutes’ bike ride from the green areas of Limburg,”
Says Vandyck.
