In the heart of the Hautes Fagnes nature reserve, at Mont-Rigi, the ULiège scientific station celebrates its 100th anniversary. A century of activities has seen several generations of researchers work towards the same goals: understanding and protecting the Fagnes ecosystems, sharing their knowledge, and fostering their passion for this unique location. We meet the team: Pascal Poncin, First Vice-Rector of the University, Laurane Winandy, biologist and station director, and Serge Nekrassoff, historian and deputy director.
T
he Hautes Fagnes offer a particularly unique range of habitats. This did not escape Léon Fredericq (1851-1935), the man who pioneered both scientific research on the Fagnes environment and its protection. A prestigious figure at the University of Liège, professor of physiology, and eminent specialist in blood circulation, Léon Fredericq was also a naturalist. He was the first to propose an explanation for the presence of plant and animal species typical of boreo-montane environments on the Fagnes plateau. His theory of the "glacial island," formulated in 1904, remains valid today. It suggests that at the end of the last glacial period (around 12,000 years ago), rising temperatures made life impossible for animals and plants. Faced with extinction, they had to migrate to Arctic regions and mountain peaks, finding refuge on a few islands where the climatic conditions they were adapted to persisted, such as on the Baraque Michel plateau. The Colias palaeno, a lovely little lemon-yellow butterfly, symbolises his theory.
These scientific arguments support the necessary protection of the Fagnes plateau, which, since the 19th century, had been considered unsuitable for agriculture and subjected to the intensive exploitation of spruce. However, it was the devastating fire of summer 1911 (nearly 4,000 hectares burned!) that hastened the creation of a Committee for the Defence of the Fagnes, with Léon Fredericq as one of its most prominent members. This committee laid the foundations for a "natural park" backed by adapted legislation, although the First World War put these plans on hold.
In 1924, Léon Fredericq, along with the young botany professor Raymond Bouillenne, both supported by Marcel Dehalu, administrator of the University of Liège, obtained permission to establish the first university scientific station in the Hautes Fagnes. It comprised two small laboratories, five bedrooms, a dining room, and a kitchen, totalling 150 m². Despite its rudimentary comforts, it was a convivial living space and a base camp that gave researchers immediate access to the environments they wished to study, simply by stepping out the station’s door. "To characterise these early moments of scientific activity, the image of exploration comes to mind," explains Serge Nekrassoff. The residents embarked on naturalist excursions without necessarily having a specific goal. Upon their return to the station, they recorded their observations in the logbook: fields of arnica in bloom behind the station, two Colias palaeno butterflies, five black grouse, and a capercaillie along the Vêquée, etc."
Two archaeological projects bear witness to the station's multidisciplinary nature. "First, there were the excavations of the Pavé Charlemagne led by Abbé Bastin in Brochepierre between 1932 and 1934," notes the deputy director. This stone-paved road, resting on a complex wooden structure to traverse the soggy Fagnes terrain, was built in the Early Middle Ages. It remains a major archaeological relic in the region and is still a subject of study at the station today." Another project was initiated by Raymond Bouillenne. In the Grande Fagne, he excavated a fairly regular circular depression, which he interpreted as a prehistoric fishpond. After the war, Albert Pissart demonstrated that it was a pingo, a formation resulting from a geomorphological process dating back to the end of the last glacial period.
Alongside these scientific activities, Léon Fredericq and Raymond Bouillenne lobbied the government authorities and the King to create a nature reserve. This period also saw the creation of the Friends of the Fagnes association, a new partner and driving force for the defence and promotion of the plateau. As tourism developed, the first concerning questions arose regarding the intrusion of hikers into sensitive areas and the necessary infrastructure to accommodate them. Léon Fredericq passed away in 1935, and the onset of the Second World War once again delayed the nature reserve project.
After 1945, a new generation of scientists arrived on the plateau, with a new, larger, and better-equipped station inaugurated in 1947, led by Raymond Bouillenne. A long-term project to map vegetation and soils was undertaken. This work was essential not only for understanding the environments and the conditions favourable or unfavourable to them but also, crucially, for implementing appropriate management measures. The creation of a nature reserve became more pressing than ever, particularly due to the increasing spread of spruce plantations. The reserve finally came into being in 1957, but it took decades to reach the current situation, which now takes ecological imperatives into account. For a long time, economic considerations remained paramount. Any advances in environmental protection were usually only granted after assessing the economic returns of other "development" projects.
The specifics of the Fagnes peat bogs, and the processes behind their formation, began to be highlighted, particularly for the raised bogs, some of which reach several metres in thickness (8 m in the Misten bog). Paleobotany found these peat bogs to be invaluable archives. In these oxygen-poor, highly acidic environments, organic matter barely decomposes. As a result, perfectly preserved plants, animal remains, archaeological artefacts, and even human bodies (in other peat bogs across Europe) can be found, as well as pollen. By analysing fossil pollen samples extracted from peat cores, scientists have been able to decipher the evolution of the Fagnes landscapes and environments throughout the Holocene, punctuated by episodes of climate change.
In geomorphology, understanding the formation of pingos reveals another peculiarity of the plateau. They number in the dozens in the Fagnes, buried beneath peat or visible on the surface as craters. They are the result of the collapse of periglacial mounds following the last significant warming period, at the end of the Younger Dryas, around 12,000 years ago.
In zoology, the iconic species is now the black grouse, which has replaced Léon Fredericq’s beloved Colias palaeno.
In the mid-1960s, the University approved the construction of a permanent research centre. The project was led by René Schumacker, with the station’s design by architect and professor Jean Englebert. The building was inaugurated in 1975.
Within these new walls, the results of research from previous decades were preserved. These would serve a new, ambitious task: drawing up management plans for the reserve, which had already significantly expanded in size but had also changed considerably since Léon Fredericq’s time. The peat bogs were deteriorating, the heathlands were being invaded by purple moor grass (Molinia caerulea L.), and plant and animal species were disappearing. The implementation of management plans became essential to protect the environments and consider the restoration of degraded areas. The station's scientists work in collaboration with forestry engineers and the Friends of the Fagnes association within a management commission.
The commission also addresses issues related to public access: the creation of hiking and skiing trails, the installation of boardwalks, and ensuring the tranquillity of certain species during breeding and nesting periods, among other things. Today, the station continues to be involved in these essential tasks for the effective management of the reserve.
"It is a privilege to have a research station located in the heart of Belgium's largest nature reserve," says Pascal Poncin, highlighting the ecological and societal importance of the Fagnes plateau. "The station has a strong tradition of interdisciplinarity, and as ULiège actively engages in ecological transition, it is crucial that all faculties are involved. But above all, it was necessary to provide researchers with a functional tool." To mark the start of this second century of activity, ULiège carried out various works on the building (compliance, heating, insulation, renovation, equipment), which put the station into a temporary sleep – extended due to the pandemic. It was only recently that the station was equipped with a multidisciplinary scientific committee made up of representatives from several faculties. The aim is to attract not only biologists but also researchers and students from geography, geology, history, archaeology, and economics.
This year’s centenary celebration provides an opportunity to promote the station both within and beyond the University. "This station is a jewel," says Pascal Poncin. "It is imperative to work on its promotion and to let it be known that it is operational, with Laurane Winandy at its helm."
The new director is enthusiastic about the possibilities the station offers. "The Hautes Fagnes interest me particularly because of the presence of amphibians and reptiles, which I specialise in. Amphibians – such as frogs and newts – have a biphasic lifestyle: aquatic development and reproduction, followed by a terrestrial life. The Hautes Fagnes, with their particularly humid environments, are ideal for their conservation. In the context of biodiversity collapse, amphibians are among the vertebrates most threatened by global anthropogenic changes," she laments. "Although many species are not yet considered endangered, the decline of numerous populations is already being observed in Wallonia. The multiple causes, such as habitat loss and fragmentation, as well as climate change, remain poorly studied."
Several factors are being considered by the biologist, including irregular rainfall patterns, leading to periods of drought that threaten larvae and tad
poles, and milder winters, which disrupt hibernation and, therefore, the chances of successful reproduction in spring. Not to mention the raccoons, an invasive species and a formidable predator of amphibians.
With its wide open heathlands, the reserve is also a prime location for studying reptiles like the viviparous lizard. "Lizards are ectothermic animals that need to bask in the sun to regulate their temperature," continues the director. "In this regard, we want to conduct studies on the benefits of reserve management and habitat restoration measures. Indeed, there is often a tendency to think that nature should be left to 'run its course' and that biodiversity will fare better this way. But that’s false. We live in a world where human impact is so great that it must be balanced by other actions. So, if we do nothing, open areas will become reforested, which would lead to the disappearance of these species."
Other projects are underway, such as the installation of mesocosms on the station's grounds – that is, enclosed mini-ecosystems. These are pools about 1.5 m in diameter where a wide range of organisms can be studied over the long term: plants, insects, amphibians, reptiles. By installing identical mesocosms in locations with different climatic conditions, it is possible to study the impact of climate on the species in each mesocosm and their potential ability to adapt.
As in the past, the station remains open to collaboration with other institutions, such as the black grouse conservation programme initiated by Professor Poncin (see inset). In spring 2025, the station will host the "Current Issues in Archaeological Research in the Ardennes-Eifel" conference. It will also work with the "Wolf Network" (set up to monitor the return of wolves to Wallonia). Several wolves have made the reserve their home, sparking the interest of biologists and ecologists, of course, but also sociologists. "The animal still stirs fears among the population and farmers, often due to misinformation," observes Laurane Winandy.
"This is further evidence of the need for the popularisation of scientific knowledge," continues Serge Nekrassoff. "Conveying scientifically validated information is more essential than ever in an age when social media spreads all kinds of misinformation. Our primary, though not exclusive, audience is secondary school students. With the infrastructure inaugurated in 1975, the station is equipped to accommodate large groups on site, with the possibility of lodging (34 beds available). Hosting secondary school students has thus become a significant activity. Thousands of students have benefited from the station's setting, the lessons from its researchers, and fieldwork opportunities. The new generation must be able to understand ecosystem mechanisms and properly assess the impacts of human activities."
The centenary celebration fits perfectly within this mission, this time directed towards the general public. Conferences and guided walks, multidisciplinary days open to all, and an exhibition at the Botrange Park House (in October) are all part of the programme.
For Laurane Winandy, the centenary is also an opportunity to try to combat the prevailing pessimism about the state of the natural world. "I find the discussions around biodiversity loss very negative," she regrets. "And I think it's important to show that the restoration and management of the Hautes Fagnes have allowed many species to return naturally, like the wolf. This demonstrates the resilience of nature, provided we take care of it."
Centenary programme: https://www.sshf.uliege.be/
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