JNM Dragonfly Tour: Nature Study in a Different Garb

The nature conservation group of JNM (Youth Association for Nature and Environment) exchanged solid ground for water this time and went for a nature study on the inland waters of Ghent, focusing on dragonflies and damselflies. However, we wouldn’t be the Youth Association for Nature and Environment if we didn’t also clear the Ghent waters of their floating plastic. We went to sea with ONAK and set off on an adventure with four ONAKs on Saturday, June 2nd. We received a straightforward demonstration on how we could make our canoes seaworthy, and soon the first boats began to take shape. Armed with garbage bags, tongs, and a butterfly net, we chose the (somewhat less) expansive waters of Ghent. We started at the watersports center towards the Green Valley. Over the Coupure, along the Bijloke, we returned to the watersports center (see map attached). The ONAKs are comfortable, spacious (practical for storing all the trash), and quite fast. Occasionally, we shot past the trash, but thanks to the agility of the boat and our steering maneuvers, we were able to fish out quite a lot of plastic bottles, cans, wrappers, lids, and a few shoes... The most noticeable object was a doll! It was a rather cloudy day, which limited the number of damselflies and dragonflies. However, searching for the yellow plomp yielded two species of damselflies: the large red-eyed damselfly (Image 1) and lanternfly, as well as two species of dragonflies: the common marsh dragonfly and the large white-faced darner. We also enjoyed the many moorhens and coots with their chicks and the great crested grebes. In short, it was a wonderful day. For many, a cool first encounter with the ONAK in real life, the large red-eyed damselfly, which is usually difficult to reach from the shore, certainly from a frog's perspective, and the Leie has a few kilos less trash. A successful activity!