European MONA meeting on sustainable mobility and recreation in Grenspark Kalmthoutse Heide
Grenspark Kalmthoutse Heide recently devoted three days to international cooperation on sustainable mobility in nature reserves. Partners from the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Germany came together as part of the Interreg MONA project, a European initiative exploring how visitors can travel to and through nature reserves in a smarter and more sustainable way. During these exchange days, participants shared their knowledge and experiences on, among other things, parking pressure, recreational pressure on vulnerable nature and stimulating alternatives to the car.
Learning from each other in the Grenspark
During the partner meeting, all MONA participants discovered how the Grenspark is working on sustainable mobility in practice. By seeing on the spot what works, partners can take insights back to their own natural areas. In the process, the Grenspark explained several concrete measures and innovations:
- Digital experience map: visitors can discover the park via smart filters and are encouraged to choose sustainable transport options via our new digital experience map.
- Counting posts: 10 extra counting posts have been placed at strategic locations. They provide insight into visitor flows, trends and recreation patterns.
- Visitor and resident surveys: these surveys help us better understand how people move around and where solutions are needed.
- Zoning and gateways: First ideas for a better division between busy and quiet zones were presented, as well as plans to better link stations and reception gates to the recreational offer.
Sustainable on the road
One of the highlights was a walk through the Grenspark, in which participants used only sustainable transport. In the morning, they travelled by train to Heide station and gateway De Vroente. In the evening, they took the bus back at Ravenhof gate. In this way, they experienced for themselves how easy it is to reach the Grenspark by public transport.
Towards a more sustainable nature visit
Thanks to this cooperation, the Grenspark can test and develop sustainable mobility solutions that can also be applied in other European nature reserves. For visitors, this means, for example: easier access to the park by public transport, discovering thematic hiking routes, and more peaceful enjoyment in less crowded places. In this way, everyone can enjoy the park comfortably, while nature remains protected. The MONA project was launched in 2023 with a duration of 4.5 years.
More about the MONA project and the latest developments can be found on our project page.
