High Fens, Belgium

Located in the Flemish Region of Belgium's West Flanders province, Ostend is a seaside city and municipality. It includes the largest city on the Belgian coast, Ostend proper, as well as the boroughs of Mariakerke, Raversijde, Stene, and Zandvoorde.The ideal time of year to visit Ostend mostly relies on personal weather preferences. Nonetheless, the late spring and early summer months of May through July provide a pleasant and ideal condition for exploring the flora and sceneries of this seaside city, taking rainfall and temperature into account. Ostend was a tiny settlement in the Early Middle Ages that was situated on the east end (oost-einde) of an island that was once known as Testerep and lay between a beach lake and the North Sea. Despite its modest size, the village gained "town" status in 1265 when its residents were permitted to organize a market and construct a market hall. Fishing was the main source of revenue for the locals. Because of the strength of the water, the North Sea coastline has always been particularly unstable. In 1395, the locals made the decision to construct a new Ostend farther from the constantly threatening sea and behind big dikes.

The first national park in Flanders, Belgium, is called Hoge Kempen National Park (Nationaal Park Hoge Kempen). It is situated between Genk and the Meuse (Dutch: Maas) River Valley in the Campine in the eastern part of the Province of Limburg. It comprises the low land of the river Demer's drainage basin, which encompasses the majority of Belgian Limburg, and the rising terrain that delineates the watershed between that river.On March 29, 2006, a Sunday, it opened.Part of the Natura 2000 network, it spans 67 square kilometers. The region is primarily made up of pine forests and heathlands. It was initially created in 1990 as part of a progressive plan to develop Flanders' natural reserves within the Regionaal Landschap Kempen en Maasland.On March 29, 2006, a Sunday, it opened.[1] Part of the Natura 2000 network, it spans 67 square kilometers.[2] The region is primarily made up of pine forests and heathlands. It was initially created in 1990 as part of a progressive plan to develop Flanders' natural reserves within the Regionaal Landschap Kempen en Maasland. It was added to UNESCO's Tentative List for World Heritage Site consideration in May 2011. The Province of Limburg, the Flemish government, and the nine town councils signed a letter of intent on March 23, 2012, pledging to support the Hoge Kempen National Park's bid for UNESCO World Heritage status.

The component portion is located between the Dijle and Zenne rivers on a plateau. Despite being just 10 kilometers from Brussels, this is Western Europe's sole Atlantic beech forest. It is impressive, with lots of dead wood and beeches that are more than 180 years old. Consequently, the forest has a high level of biodiversity. This area is home to about 600 different species of beetles, many of which are uncommon and typical of ancient woods.Humans have been managing and altering forests in Western Europe for many millennia. This is also true of the 5,000-hectare Sonian Forest, which is located outside of Brussels. Five portions of the forest were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List of Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe in 2017, making it one of Belgium's several Natura 2000 sites. The numerous people who once lived in the area are responsible for the forest's recognition.The Sonian Forest, a part of the vast coal forest that encased Western Europe following the last ice age, is situated in the residential and urban area on the southeast fringe of Brussels. Throughout history, numerous peoples have occupied and governed the region.

In the Flemish Region of Belgium, the capital and main city of the West Flanders province is Bruges. It is the sixth most populated city in the nation and is located in the northwest.Over 14,099 hectares make up the entire city, including 1,075 hectares off the coast at Zeebrugge.The old city center is a well-known UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is roughly 430 hectares in size and oval in shape. About 20,000 of the city's 117,073 residents reside in the city core (1 January 2008). As of January 1, 2008, the metropolitan area, which includes the outside commuter zone, had 255,844 residents and covered 616 km2 (238 sq mi). It is frequently called the Venice of the North, along with a few other northern cities that are centered on canals, like Amsterdam and Saint Petersburg. Once one of the most important commercial cities in the world, Bruges' harbor contributes significantly to its economic significance.As the home of the College of Europe, a university institution dedicated to European studies, Bruges is a popular tourist destination in Belgium.There are two professional football teams in Bruges, both of which compete at the highest level (Belgian First Division). Club Brugge K.V. is currently the national champion, and Cercle Brugge K.S.V. was just promoted to the first division. One of West Flanders' educational hubs is Bruges. A few colleges, such as the HOWEST (Hogeschool West-Vlaanderen) or the VIVES (a combination of the old KHBO (Katholieke Hogeschool Brugge Oostende) and the KATHO (katholieke hogeschool), are located next to the numerous common primary and secondary schools. In addition, the city is home to the United Nations University Institute on Comparative Regional Integration Studies (UNU-CRIS), a Research and Training Institute of the United Nations University that specializes in the comparative study of regional integration, as well as the College of Europe, a distinguished postgraduate school for studies in European Economics, Law, and Politics.