Regions EU funding Partners

Vlaamse Landmaatschappij

The motto of the Vlaamse Landmaatschappij VLM or Flemish Land Agency is “VLM, your partner in the open space”. The VLM, as a part of the Flemish Government, is responsible for the development of the open space and the control of manure surpluses in Flanders. Next to this, the agency plays an important role in shaping countryside policy in Flanders. The core departments Land use planning, Manure Bank and Rural Development are active in a wide package of tasks:

Arranging open space to be liveable.
Putting countryside policy on the track and continue to inspire.
Active guiding for sustainable farming.

Besides the head office in Brussels the VLM has local departments in each of the five Flemish provinces. Thanks to these six offices we are easily accessible for all of our partners in the whole of Flanders. The VLM employs some 800 people in various fields: engineers, geographers, ecologists, land-surveyors, environmental experts, communication specialists, and so on.

Arranging open space to be liveable

Open space becomes more and more scarce in Flanders and there is a gradually louder demand to protect, arrange and manage the open space. On demand of our partners we use our know-how and experience to work out integrated solutions. For a specific region we examine where and how land-use planning, land consolidation, nature conservation, land banks and agri-environmental agreements may be useful. We deploy our toolbox, measured to the demand and with respect for the identity of the region involved.

Putting countryside policy on the track and continue to inspire

The countryside is an exciting and flourishing mixture of agriculture, nature, recreation, tourism and people living in it. In order to keep pace with all social trends, the countryside needs impulses for the integrated development of all of its functions. Only an integrated countryside policy can join all forces and initiatives of all sectors and government levels. Our Rural Development department initiates and gives shape to this countryside policy. We organise meetings with our countryside partners and work in partnerships so that every partner can take its own responsibility in the realisation of a livable and high quality countryside.

Viability of the countryside is also a priority for Europe. We participate in various European projects and are cooperating in international networks. We closely follow the European legislation and actively look for European (co)financing possibilities for our countryside projects.

Active guiding for sustainable farming

Our Manure Bank department helps to realise the environmental objectives of the nitrate directive. We execute the ammonia reduction programme and work on an environment friendly and affordable manure transformation. We actively encourage farmers towards sustainable farming and control the correct enforcement of the manure legislation. We help farmers with all our know-how and make them sensitive for environmental issues. Communication and sensitivity are of utmost importance for the Manure Bank. A well organised control is the final piece of this wide approach.

Within the framework of the agri-environmental agreements we actively approach farmers. Together with them we develop agricultural nature management schemes on farm level.

We strongly support farmers in their care for nature and landscape. Being both the most widespread users and at the same time administrators of the open space they are our most important partners. In cooperation with other Agencies we launched a specific “e-counter” which can be consulted by farmers for all kinds of agri-environmental agreements.

We constantly aim to deliver a better and integrated service, under the “e-government umbrella” of the Flemish government, to support farmers in their care for nature and landscape.

Contact

Vlaamse LandMaatschappij
Gulden Vlieslaan 72
1060 Brussels
Belgium
Phone: +32-14-258332
Contact person: Erik Verhaert
E-mail address: Erik.Verhaert@vlm.be
Website: www.vlm.be