Hermitage Nature Reserve

Located in sandy-silty Brabant, the site occupies the valley of the Ermitage stream, 1 km as the crow flies from the centre of Braine-le-Château. On an area of about 5 hectares, there is a set of interesting environments, although degraded: heathland with heather, dry grasslands on sand, low marshes linked to slope seeps, megaphorbiae, reed beds, magnocariças and alluvial forest groups. It is a communal property that was set up as a nature reserve in 1977 but whose management, before the restoration work mentioned below, had been abandoned for years. There is a diverse flora including some species that have become very rare in Brabant, such as the mountain jasione (Jasione montana) and the bare-stemmed teesdalia (Teesdalia nudicaulis). Little is known about the local fauna; the presence of the viviparous lizard (Zootoca vivipara), rare in the region, has been reported very recently.

Since 2007, a series of restoration and maintenance works have nevertheless been undertaken by volunteers from Natagora and the PCDN of Braine-le-Château: reopening and mowing of megaphorbiae, clearing of a meadow with Dactylorhiza maculata, fight against the late cherry tree. The poplars (unfortunately planted in the wettest part of the site) have been exploited and a pond has been dug by the municipality of Braine-le-Château, bordered by an observation pontoon. Sand lawn areas were managed by late mowing.

Access to the site is free on the trails and there is a guide booklet.

Source: Biodiversité Wallonie fiche 195 Ermitage (status as of 13/11/2020)

pierre.apa.becquart@gmail.com