Walckiers park in Brussels reopens for first time since 1960s
The Walckiers park in Brussels has reopened to the public for the first time since its closure in the 1960s. The park is of exceptional biological value as it is home to ferrets.
The park, close to Schaerbeek station, is a welcome green area in the north of Brussels. Together with the neighbouring nature reserve, it is part of the Moeraske site, a green space stretching across the southern watershed of the Senne valley. It was originally created in the mid-18th century.
Regional agency Brussels Environment has managed the park since 2003. The reopening is part of a broader plan to improve the biodiversity of the nature reserve. The 4.5-hectare domain is only partially accessible and the areas that have high biological value are fenced off.
“The ferret, which is protected in the Brussels-Capital Region, has been here for 12 years,” the agency says. “The park is closed at night to give local fauna a quiet nightlife.”
A ferret in a forest in Germany © BELGA PHOTO AFP PHOTO / DPA / FELIX KAESTLE