The Sonian Forest

The Sonian Forest is a large forest centrally located in Belgium, it is more than 4000 hectares in size. The first indications of the existence of the Sonian Forest date back to the early Middle Ages. At that time, the forest was crossed by the river Senne from which the forest takes its name. The forest is probably a remnant of the old, much more extensive Silva Carbonaria or Coal Forest. Today, the Sonian Forest covers 'only' an area of 4,421 ha. This is in sharp contrast to the area of 10,000 ha. which the forest was rich in at the beginning of the 19th century. The sharp decrease in forest area was mainly caused by large-scale grubbing-up during the first years after the independence of Belgium, but also by more recent allotments, the construction of horse racing tracks and infrastructure. The roads and railways have greatly fragmented the Sonian Forest, which has a not to be underestimated influence on forest life.

Sarah De Keyzer