Life on land
Research
All the "Life on land" publication on the Unamur research portal.
Publication in Nature:
From the Namur snail to the Galapagos snail, there is only one step! - Prof. F. Delaender
Social impact and actions
Corporate initiatives
The Haugimont Estate
| Situated in the heart of the Condruzian countryside, the Haugimont Estate lies in the commune of Gesves, 18 km south-east of Namur. Since 1978, it has been an exceptional teaching and research centre for students and scientists from the University of Namur. It is also open to the public and to schools for training, discovery and leisure activities. |  |
Many initiatives are carried out at the Haugimont Estate.
- The Haugimont apiary.
- Collection of old varieties of wheat at Haugimont for the establishment of a bread-making wheat industry in the Cœur de Condroz area.
- Large flock of ewes (400) with the production of lambs for consumption and the valorisation of the wool in Verviers.
- Amendment of the Haugimont meadows solely by composting the ewes' bedding.
- Experimentation with the first anti-wolf fence: UNamur is a member of the wolf network as a sheep producer.
- Extensive orchards and organisation of apple collections every year during the "maraude".
- Recognised as a Site of Great Biological Interest, the Haugimont estate is home to many remarkable animal and plant species.
- New projects
- the creation of an approved nature reserve
- the creation and maintenance of new ponds
- extending the resilient forest project to include chalarose ash forests.
- Pro Silva forestry project
Ecological and economic assessment - Lessons and prospects for resilient forests in Wallonia
Wallonia's forests are facing a number of challenges, including tree dieback due to prolonged drought, which is forcing the various players involved to rethink their practices in order to adapt to climate disruption.
5 projects have been selected by a jury as part of Wallonia's recovery plan. Over the next two years, the teams involved in these projects will aim to develop and share knowledge on the importance of dead wood for more resilient forests, drought (development of a climatic drought indicator, particularly in forest environments), the ecological and economic assessment of 30 years of Pro Silva silviculture, the functional diversification of forest interfaces and the optimisation of silvicultural itineraries for the creation of resilient mixed stands.
More about the Haugimont Estate (in French) here...
UNamur CaNDLE projects
Since 2013, the Campus Namur Durable (CaNDLE) calls have been inviting the university community to propose actions aimed at making the campus and university activity more sustainable in the short, medium and long term.
The first and second CaNDLE calls contributed, in 2013 and 2015, to the realisation of eight projects likely to improve the sustainability of the campus or university activity. The 2021 call saw the launch of five new eco-responsible initiatives proposed by UNamur members and financed by the Jerome Fund for Sustainable Development.
In 2023, UNamur launched a fourth CaNDLE call financed thanks to the joint support of the Jerome Fund for Sustainable Development and the UNamur Students' Circle Assembly.
Find out more about CaNDLE projects (in French) here...
Heart of the forest - UbiCast project
For the past two years, UbiCast, the supplier of the in-auditorium recording solution used at the University of Namur has replaced its end-of-year 'goodies' with participation in reforestation projects. This year, the University of Namur is sponsoring 22 trees located on a project plot in Bolivia. Find out more about the project (in French) here…
The Confluent des Savoirs (CDS) – Spring of sciences
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Every year, the CDS organizes the "Spring of sciences” (Printemps des Sciences)by offering exhibitions and workshops on biodiversity subjects. 2022 examples:
The CDS also organized a day about climate change in the Godinne Burnot colledge in 2022. |
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The BioKot
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The BioKot is a student residence supported by the UNamur . The students work for the preservation of the environment. More info on Facebook ... |
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A shelter for stray cats
UNamur has set up a shelter for stray cats in the heart of the university car park.
Collaborations and partnerships
Farm for good
Farm For Good is an independent not-for-profit organisation in which farmers hold the decision-making power and define the main strategic directions. Its business model is based on a balance between income-generating and non-income-generating activities, to ensure its long-term financial sustainability. Initiated by the UNamur researcher Clotilde De Montpellier. Find out more about the project (in French) here...
The LUCID project
Joint ARES research project to understand the impact of land use, particularly maize, on people in the Philippines. Find out more about this project... : https://lucid.essc.org.ph/
Research institute
Institute of Life, Earth and Environment (ILEE)
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Research at the Institute of Life, Earth and Environment (ILEE) is relevant to several of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For example, we study the impact of multiple stressors and/or pollutants on organisms but also on ecosystems, and solutions are sought to strengthen their resistance and resilience and/or limit harmful products. Furthermore, by prospecting and characterising geological resources and by integrating human use over the centuries, from Antiquity to the current Anthropocene, ILEE contributes to the sustainable management of natural resources, including architecture and art. The transition to a more sustainable agriculture is investigated through the concept of ecosystem services via mapping, modelling and integrated assessment. The consequences of climate change on human migration or the interactions between the different agents responsible for the transmission of vector-borne and zoonotic diseases are also at the heart of ILEE's research. Read more... |
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Spin-off
e-biom
| Created with the support of the FIRST Spin-off programme of the SPW Research, e-biom is a biological and environmental consultancy company associated with a multidisciplinary laboratory specialising in bio-monitoring, ecological and biological studies. More about e-biom... |  |
Fytofend
| Created with the support of the FIRST Spin-off programme of SPW Research, the company specialises in plant protection using elicitors (natural stimulants of plant defences). The objective is to become the world's number one elicitor and to meet the challenges of the future. More about Fytofend... |  |
