Kuifeend nature conservation area

It is located on the eastern Atlantic migration routes for hundreds of thousands of birds of various sorts that fly each year between their breeding areas in the North and their wintering areas in the South. Thousands of these migratory birds make use of the Kuifeend as a roosting, feeding and/or breeding area.

For this reason it has been included as a “Birds Directive Area” in the European Natura 2000 network. This area was recently restored as part of the European Interreg IIIb NEW!Delta Project, in which port authorities in Belgium, the UK, the Netherlands and France are collaborating with regional authorities, academics and research institutions to promote coexistence between ports and nature.

The redevelopment of the Kuifeend and Grote Kreek areas is a textbook example of how expansion of the Antwerp seaport area can go hand-in-hand with protection of wildlife in accordance with EU legislation.

Landscaping dikes have been built around the areas to reduce noise and disturbance from the surrounding industrial activities. The earth used for this construction work has been excavated locally, enabling no less than 40 hectares of grassland to be converted into marshes and reedbeds of great value to wildlife. Several large, water-retaining ponds have also been created.

The package of nature conservation and development measures has undoubtedly contributed to raising the wildlife value of both areas. This can already be seen in the growing number of birds (including breeding pairs) and the greater number of species. For the benefit of birdwatchers a comfortable, easily accessible hide and more recently an observation wall have been built on each area.