The Walloon Government is consolidating its partnership with the River Contracts through two five-year multi-annual agreements. This agreement pursues a common goal: strengthening the resilience of territories against flood risks and improving the management of invasive alien species
Active across 96% of the territory, the River Contracts bring together local stakeholders to ensure sustainable management of waterways. Their role is essential in preventing flood damage, supporting municipalities in implementing concrete actions, and ensuring indispensable on-the-ground monitoring.
The first agreement covers the development of tools and projects to reduce flood risks: strengthening risk awareness, improving knowledge of the territory, supporting municipalities in implementing resilience measures, energising technical committees per sub-basin, and coordinating actions set out in regional plans.
The second agreement focuses on invasive alien species, which today are responsible for a significant part of biodiversity degradation and an increased risk of riverbank instability. Two-thirds of the species of concern to the European Union are present in Walloon aquatic or riparian environments.
The River Contracts will carry out six missions related to invasive alien species:
- structured monitoring of invasive alien species;
- early eradication of emerging species;
- tackling giant hogweed;
- management of widespread plants;
- public prevention actions;
- support for monitoring and cohabitation with the European beaver.
These actions will help limit damage to natural environments, reduce future management costs, and prepare for the European reporting due in 2031.