The Olnois bocage, between meadows and old orchards surrounded by hedges

Associated with rurality, the bocage proudly affirms the landscape identity and the greenery of the Pays de Herve.

Originally, this mesh of hedges separated the livestock areas from the areas devoted to cultivation in order to contain the livestock and created a vegetal grid on the scale of the landscape.

In the 17th century, fruit trees appeared in the bocage as a source of additional income and contributed to the landscape identity of the Pays de Herve.

In addition to its heritage interest, the bocage contributes fully to the diversity of our landscapes, the maintenance of biodiversity and the fight against soil erosion. Hedgerows, which are a reservoir of food, a refuge or a nesting site, are vital spaces for many species of plants and animals.

For more information, see our heritage sheet.