INBOVeg - Vegetation observations as part of the ABS (Inventarisatie Autochtone Bomen en Struiken) in Flanders, Belgium

Sampling event Observation
Latest version published by Agency for Nature and Forests (Flemish Government) on Jul 13, 2026 Agency for Nature and Forests (Flemish Government)
Publication date:
July 13, 2026
License:
CC-BY 4.0

Download the latest version of this resource data as a Darwin Core Archive (DwC-A) or the resource metadata as EML or RTF:

Data as a DwC-A file download 5,749 records in English (2 MB) - Update frequency: not planned
Metadata as an EML file download in English (23 KB)
Metadata as an RTF file download in English (17 KB)

Description

This dataset is composed of 20 datasets which come were collected as part of the ABS (Inventarisatie Autochtone Bomen en Struiken) surveys and are being exported from INBOVEG, the INBO vegetation record database (also part of the "Global Index of Vegetation-plot databases" and the "European Vegetation Archive".In the column 'occurenceRemarks', details are given regarding the vegetation layer of the point at which the observation was made. In the column 'organismRemarks', are comments regarding the likely native-ness of the plant observed. As the studies that collected these datasets focused on finding native examples of native species, this is an important field that was assessed using expert opinion. All observations, identifications and notes were made by trained experts.Some of these datasets have been previously published on GBIF as part of the FLORABANK1 bulkdata publication (https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.12.2849) at either a 1 km² or a 4 km² scale, here they are published as specific locations (with 30m² uncertainty).The datasets which are being republished in this way are noted in the following list with an asterix.The GBIF dataset is the same as the data in INBOVeg. The relevant INBOVeg identification codes are: Location: CodeAntwerp: IV2014020312592737, IV2014020312591275* Brugge: IV2014020312591390* Gent: IV2014020312591490* Groenendaal: IV2014020312591590 Hasselt: IV2014020312591690* Hechtel-Bree: IV2014020312592021* Leuven: IV2014020312591706* Limburg: IV2014020312592637, IV2014020312592853 and IV2014020312592953 Oost-Vlaanderen: IV2014020312593053, IV2014020312591806* Vlaamse Ardennen: IV2014020312592121*, IV2014020312592321* Vlaams-Brabant: IV2014020312593153 Voeren: IV2014020312592437 West-Vlaams Heuvelland: IV2014020312592221*, IV2014020312592537* Ecologische Impulsgebieden: IV2014020312591906* To allow anyone to use this dataset, we have released the data to the public domain under a Creative Commons Attribution license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode). We would appreciate it if you read and follow these norms for data use (http://www.inbo.be/en/norms-for-data-use) and provide a link to the original dataset whenever possible. If you use these data for a scientific paper, please cite the dataset following the applicable citation norms and/or consider us for co-authorship. We are always interested to know how you have used or visualised the data, or to provide more information, so please contact us via the contact information provided in the metadata or via opendata@inbo.be.

Data Records

The data in this sampling event resource has been published as a Darwin Core Archive (DwC-A), which is a standardized format for sharing biodiversity data as a set of one or more data tables. The core data table contains 5,749 records.

1 extension data tables also exist. An extension record supplies extra information about a core record. The number of records in each extension data table is illustrated below.

Event (core)
5749
Occurrence 
88141

This IPT archives the data and thus serves as the data repository. The data and resource metadata are available for download in the downloads section. The versions table lists other versions of the resource that have been made publicly available and allows tracking changes made to the resource over time.

Versions

The table below shows only published versions of the resource that are publicly accessible.

Rights

Researchers should respect the following rights statement:

The publisher and rights holder of this work is Agency for Nature and Forests (Flemish Government). This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY 4.0) License.

GBIF Registration

This resource has been registered with GBIF, and assigned the following GBIF UUID: 85088e6b-4f17-4faa-98f1-68fb26c6403f.  Agency for Nature and Forests (Flemish Government) publishes this resource, and is itself registered in GBIF as a data publisher endorsed by Belgian Biodiversity Platform.

Keywords

Samplingevent; Observation; INBO data

Contacts

Kristine Vander Mijnsbrugge
  • Metadata Provider
  • Originator
  • Point Of Contact
Maria-Rose Eves Down

Geographic Coverage

Flanders, Belgium

Bounding Coordinates South West [50.689, 2.552], North East [51.487, 5.907]

Temporal Coverage

Start Date / End Date 1997-04-24 / 2012-09-28

Project Data

For a variety of reasons, native trees and shrubs have become rare in Flanders and neighbouring countries. This is linked to the sometimes drastic changes in nature and the landscape brought about by climate change and other dynamics. Of the more than 100 originally native tree and shrub species (not including blackberry species), more than half are rare to very rare or have even disappeared. In most cases, these are relict populations. The other half are either regionally extinct or seriously threatened. ---------- In 1996, the Forest & Green Department in Brussels and the Institute for Forestry and Wildlife Management in Geraardsbergen (Ministry of the Flemish Community) expressed a desire to establish a systematic inventory in Flanders of increasingly scarce native trees and shrubs. Knowledge of native gene pools can be used to protect their habitats, particularly in land-use planning, and for the use of planting material in the establishment of new hedgerows and forests. In connection with this, the establishment of gene banks and seed and cutting banks is important. ---------- A series of surveys have been carried out since 1997 to create such a systemic inventory. ---In 1997, the study focused on a number of Ecological Priority Areas (B. Maes & C. Rövekamp, 1998). ---In 1998, the research formed part of the inventories in the West Flemish Hills and Flemish Ardennes Regional Landscapes in the provinces of West and East Flanders, and the Hechtel and Bree forest estates in the province of Limburg (Rövekamp and Maes, 1999). ---In 1999–2000, the Flemish Ardennes (B. Maes and C. Rövekamp, 2000), the West Flemish Hills (C. Rövekamp and B. Maes, 2000) and the Flemish Valley, Ghent and surroundings (C. Rövekamp, N. Maes and A. Zwaenepoel, 2000). ---In 2000–2001, the Leuven and Hasselt Forest Districts were mapped (B. Opstaele, 2001). ---In 2002–2003, the Leuven and Antwerp Forest Districts were inventoried (B. Maes, B. Opstaele, C. Rövekamp and A. Zwaenepoel, 2003). --------- The research was overseen by a steering group comprising representatives from the Ministry of the Flemish Community (Forest & Green Department), the Forest Management Offices, the Forest Rangers and the IBW: Nico Coppé, later succeeded by Inge Serbruyns (Ministry of the Flemish Community), and others. --------- The list of citations and related publications in the bibliography is not exhaustive.

Title Native trees and shrubs in Flanders, Belgium (Autochtone bomen en struiken in Vlaanderen, België)
Identifier ABS
Funding Flemish government funding.

The personnel involved in the project:

Kristine Vander Mijnsbrugge
Bart Opstaele
  • Content Provider
Hugo De Wettinck
  • Content Provider
Arnout Zwaenepoel
  • Content Provider
Bert Maes
  • Content Provider
Guido de Bont
  • Content Provider
Eric Cosyns
  • Content Provider
Chris Rövekamp
  • Content Provider
Henk Kuiper
  • Content Provider
Marijke Creveld
  • Content Provider
Emma Van Den Dool
  • Content Provider
Filip Jonckheere
  • Content Provider
René van Loon
  • Content Provider
Jos Vanhemelrijk
  • Content Provider
Guido Tack
  • Content Provider

Sampling Methods

Sampling was done using expert opinion and the Tansley scale, adapted following Hennekens, S.M. & Stortelder, A.H.F. (1990). Plantengemeenschappen van Nederland. Het gebruik van numerieke methoden bij het samenstellen van vegetatietabellen. Intern rapport, Rijksinstituut voor Natuurbeheer (RIN), Arnhem, Leersum en Texel

Study Extent Flanders, Belgium
Quality Control All observations, identifications and comments were made by trained experts.

Method step description:

  1. /

Bibliographic Citations

  1. Uyttenbroeck, R., De Vos, B., Vander Mijnsbrugge, K. (2014). Verspreiding en Standplaats van Inheemse Bomen en Struiken in Vlaanderen. Onderzoek naar de relatie tussen voorkomen, bodem en omgevingskenmerken. Rapporten van het Instituut voor Natuur- en Bosonderzoek (INBO.R.2014.1388322). Instituut voor Natuur- en Bosonderzoek, Brussel.
  2. Coart, E. (1998). Inventarisatie van autochtone bomen en struiken. Nieuwsbrief IBW, 1.
  3. Coart, E., Vanden Broeck, A., & Van Slycken, J. (1998). Behoud van autochtone bomen en struiken: een verkenning. (Mededelingen van het Instituut voor Bosbouw en Wildbeheer; Vol. 1998, No. 1). Instituut voor Bosbouw en Wildbeheer.
  4. Vanden Broeck, A. (1999). Autochtone bomen en struiken, wordt vervolgd! Nieuwsbrief IBW, 2.
  5. Vander Mijnsbrugge, K. (2001). Zaadboomgaarden voor autochtone bomen en struiken. Nieuwsbrief IBW, 4.
  6. Vander Mijnsbrugge, K. (2005). Autochtone bomen en struiken in het Meetjesland. Nieuwsbrief IBW-IN, 8.
  7. Vander Mijnsbrugge, K., Cox, K., & Serbruyns, I. (2005). Focus op autochtone bomen en struiken. Nieuwsbrief IBW-IN, 8.
  8. Vander Mijnsbrugge, K., Cox, K., & Serbruyns, I. (2006). Autochtone bomen en struiken: van wetgeving tot aanplant. Groencontact, 32(1), 16-20.
  9. De Ro, A., Wilms, H., Verschaeve, L., Van Breusegem, A., Neyrinck, S., Vander Mijnsbrugge, K., & Vanden Broeck, A. (2024). Traceerbaarheid van bosplantsoen met label 'Plant van Hier': Een DNA-databank met genetische profielen van autochtone inheemse boom- en struiksoorten als basis voor herkomsttracering. (Rapporten van het Instituut voor Natuur- en Bosonderzoek; No. 48). Instituut voor Natuur- en Bosonderzoek. https://doi.org/10.21436/inbor.112683206
  10. De Ro, A., Wilms, H., Verschaeve, L., Van Breusegem, A., Neyrinck, S., Vander Mijnsbrugge, K., & Vanden Broeck, A. (2024). Data from 'Tracability of Forest Reproductive Material with the quality label 'Plant van Hier': A DNA database with genetic profiles of native autochthonous tree and shrub species of Flanders, Belgium' (Version V1) [Data set]. Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO). https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.12700122
  11. De Ro, A. (2025, Jan 27). Forest reproductive material tracing system based on a DNA-database of autochthonous seed orchards. EUFORGEN.
  12. Maes, B. (1998). Hoe inheems zijn onze inheemse bomen en struiken? De Levende Natuur. 99 (1): 31-37 https://natuurtijdschriften.nl/pub/495069/DLN0990310371.pdf
  13. Maes & Rövekamp. (1998). Oorspronkelijk inheemse bomen en struiken in Vlaanderen. Een onderzoek naar autochtone genenbronnen in de Ecologische Impulsgebieden. Ministerie van de Vlaamse Gemeenschap, Afdeling Bos & Groen; Ekologisch Adviesburo Maes; Bronnen. 163pgs.
  14. Mas, B. (2006, July). Inheemse bomen en struiken in Nederlands en Belgisch Limburg. Natuurhistorisch Maandblad. Jaargang 95/7. https://www.plantenvanhier.nl/onewebmedia/Bert%20Maes%20-%20Inheemse%20bomen%20en%20struiken.pdf
  15. Maes, B., Rövekamp, C., Opstaele, B., Zwaenepoel, A. (2003, May). OORSPRONKELIJK INHEEMSE BOMEN EN STRUIKEN IN DE HOUTVESTERIJEN ANTWERPEN EN TURNHOUT onderzoek naar autochtone genenbronnen in Vlaanderen. Report drawn up on behalf of the Ministerie van de Vlaamse Gemeenschap, Departement Leefmilieu en Infrastructuur; Administratie Milieu-, Natuur-, Land- en Waterbeheer, Afdeling Bos & Groen. 85pgs. https://edepot.wur.nl/137476 https://ecologischadviesbureaumaes.nl/283.pdf
  16. Maes, B., Cosyns, E., Opstaele, B., Rövekamp, C., Zwaenepoel, A. (2008, March). Autochtone bomen en struiken in de houtvesterij Groenendaal Provincie Vlaams-Brabant. Een inventarisatie en evaluatie van oorspronkelijk inheemse genenbronnen. Report drawn up on behalf of the Agentschap voor Natuur en Bos, Brussel https://ecologischadviesbureaumaes.nl/379.pdf
  17. Zwaenepoel, A., 2003. Oorspronkelijk inheemse bomen en struiken in de houtvesterijen Antwerpen en Turnhout. Onderzoek naar autochtone genenbronnen in Vlaanderen. Deelrapport: een overzicht van het genus Salix in de Provincie Antwerpen: Autochtone taxa en cultuurvariëteiten. Brussel.
  18. Rövekamp, C.J.A.en N.C.M.Maes, 1999. Oorspronkelijk inheemse bomen en struiken in Vlaanderen. Een onderzoek naar autochtone genenbronnen in de Regionale Landschappen WestVlaamse Heuvels en Vlaamse Ardennen en de Houtvesterijen Hechtel en Bree. Brussel 1999.
  19. Opstaele, B., 2001. Autochtone bomen en struiken in de houtvesterijen Leuven en Hasselt; een inventarisatie en evaluatie van oorspronkelijk inheemse genenbronnen van bomen en struiken in Zuid-Limburg en Oost-Vlaams-Brabant. Brussel.

Additional Metadata

To allow anyone to use this dataset, we have released the data to the public domain under a Creative Commons Zero waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/). We would appreciate however, if you read and follow these norms for data use (http://www.inbo.be/en/norms-for-data-use) and provide a link to the original dataset (https://doi.org/10.15468/gouexm) whenever possible. If you use these data for a scientific paper, please cite the dataset following the applicable citation norms and/or consider us for co-authorship. We are always interested to know how you have used or visualised the data, or to provide more information, so please contact us via the contact information provided in the metadata or via opendata@inbo.be.

Acknowledgements
Purpose
Alternative Identifiers 85088e6b-4f17-4faa-98f1-68fb26c6403f
https://ipt.inbo.be/resource?r=inboveg-abs-event