Sea of Sand

The Sea of Sand is included in the 'Hainaut Campine', a region that extends north of the Haine depression, on very poor and acidic sands. Once, the area was covered with vast heathlands, which have almost completely disappeared today. Only a few fragments remain here and there, the most representative of which is found at the Sea of Sand. The site is located at the site of a very old pond that still existed in the mid-19th century. Its status of protection is justified by the presence of a very particular plant association colonizing the bare wet sands and hosting three species that have become exceptional in Wallonia: the brown rhynchospore (Rhynchospora fusca), which is its only known locality, the flooded clubmoss (Lycopodiella inundata), and the intermediate sundew (Drosera intermedia). These three very fragile plants owe their survival only to the practice of scything, which helps maintain their habitat. The quaternary heather (Erica tetralix) as well as the sharp rush (Juncus squarrosus), the moor grass (Molinia caerulea), etc., can also be observed there. In addition to its remarkable biodiversity, the Sea of Sand presents archaeological interest since numerous objects, including chipped tools, have been discovered in various locations on the site.

Public Access: Public access via paths.
Type: Site of Great Biological Interest (SGIB)

La biodiversité en Wallonie