In December 2025, Meise Botanic Garden and the Department of Environment (Departement Omgeving) hosted a stakeholder meeting to explore new opportunities for collaboration with agricultural schools in Flanders.
The goal: to support the cultivation of native plants using regionally sourced seeds — a key step toward preserving local biodiversity.
As conversations progressed, several interesting insights emerged about both current practices and the potential for deeper cooperation. Different partners brought valuable perspectives, and some unexpected possibilities surfaced — suggesting that there may be room for collaboration.
With partners
Together with partners from Regional Landscape Houtland & Polders and the horticultural school TECTURA Melle, we discussed current expertise, challenges, and future prospects. It became clear that while there is strong experience in growing native species within the Houtland region, access to regional seed material remains limited.
Encouragingly, TECTURA Melle expressed strong interest in contributing to regional seed production. They are now exploring which native species could be cultivated at their facilities, helping build a more resilient and locally grounded supply chain for ecological restoration projects.
A big thankyou to all partners involved — and especially to the students who are already handson in growing native plants as part of the “A Buzz in Your Garden” initiative by Regional Landscape Houtland & Polders.
Photo credit: Yannick Verstraete (Regional Landscape Houtland & Polders)