Straddling the municipalities of Seraing and Saint-Nicolas, the Gosson slag heap plays a key role in welcoming urban nature. The reserve is made up of 9,500 thousand cubic meters of waste from industrial activity! Multiple natural environments coexist there, and all the plant stages of colonization of mining sites are represented.
A carpet of plants and… locusts!
The many moving slopes are occupied by a procession of pioneer plants. The coltsfoot, the hernia glabrous and the clematis of the hedgerows accompany the sorrel with escutcheon leaves. On the plateaus, in the lawns and thermophilic wasteland, there are other rare plants with a singsong name: proliferating carnation, false hawkweed, pungent erection or conyze inula. The blue-winged cricket, the only protected cricket in Wallonia and mascot of the land of the slagheaps, is particularly liked there. It is present by the thousands on the reserve! Butterflies are also well represented. The most remarkable are the frail azuré, the demi-argus, the point of Hungary or the extremely rare marbled green. They take advantage of wastelands dominated by grasses, in which there are many plants that attract insects.
Refuge island of urban nature
The avifauna presents high population densities, illustrating the important role of these natural environments at the heart of the urban fabric. The lulu lark and the meadow pipit are the two emblematic bird species of the site. In winter, we also observe the deaf snipe and the natterjack toad, for which the slag heap constitutes a refuge of primary importance. To make the most of this island of nature in the heart of the urban agglomeration, educational panels have been installed on the paths accessible to the public. The slag heap is therefore a successful mix of history and nature, in the heart of the Liège region.
Translated by Google •
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