Since 2024, Love Tomorrow has supported the development of a neighbouring bee sanctuary through a six-year investment, contributing to the protection of wild pollinators in the immediate surroundings of Tomorrowland.
Adjacent to the DreamVille campsite lie the Terhagen Clay Pits, a distinctive landscape characterised by steep clay walls and open habitats. The area is home to several rare wild bee species, including the nycthemeral miner bee (Andrena nycthemera) and the northern mining bee (Andrena ruficrus). It is also one of the limited locations in which the dark nomad bee (Nomada obscura) has been observed.
In collaboration with Natuurpunt, the site is being managed as a dedicated bee sanctuary. The project includes targeted habitat modifications designed to support nesting and foraging conditions for wild pollinators. Alongside these interventions, a long-term research programme is in place to map bee diversity in the area.
Monitoring takes place every two years, in 2024, 2026 and 2028. The collected data will contribute to one of the first long-term research trajectories in Flanders focused specifically on wild pollinators, offering insights into how conservation measures influence species presence over time.
The pollinators of tomorrow
Wild pollinators in Belgium face increasing pressure. Of the 381 known wild bee species in the country, 32.8% are classified as endangered, 6.8% as near threatened, and 11.8% as regionally extinct. Similar declines are observed among daytime butterflies and hoverflies. Habitat loss, landscape fragmentation and reduced plant diversity are among the key drivers behind this trend.
The Flemish Wild Pollinator Action Plan 2022–2030 outlines a framework to address these challenges. As part of this broader effort, 21 locations across Flanders are being developed into bee sanctuaries, supporting long-term nature management and restoration.
Within this context, the Terhagen Clay Pits project reflects a locally grounded approach to biodiversity protection, connecting research, land management and long-term monitoring in a landscape that has been closely linked to Tomorrowland for more than two decades.
