Nature restoration grant blocked — Dryade launches crowdfunding campaign

Dryade received a grant of 25,000 euros from the National Lottery to provide training and advice on the Nature Restoration Act. An independent jury approved our project. However, the grant is not being paid out: the responsible guardianship minister of the National Lottery, Jan Jambon, has not approved the ministerial decision. On 6,647 approved files from the National Lottery, there were only 2 refusals. This is not policy. This is arbitrariness. 

This is a heavy blow. Not only for Dryade, but also for the work needed to implement the Nature Restoration Act in Flanders strongly and correctly.

That is why Dryade is launching the crowdfunding “Support nature restoration — let this project continue”. Our goal: raise 25,000 euros, so that we can still carry out the project.

Nature restoration is urgently needed

In 2024, Dryade submitted the project to the National Lottery “Towards an optimal restoration of Belgian nature by 2050” as part of the project call “Sustainable development”.

The project revolves around the Nature Restoration Act. Dryade would publish an article, organise training, and advise nature and environmental organisations. In this way, we want to help ensure that the Nature Restoration Act in Flanders does not remain on paper, but leads to concrete restoration of nature and ecosystems.

The law has a clear goal: by 2050, all ecosystems must be restored. This is necessary. Our nature is under great pressure, biodiversity is declining, and strong enforcement of nature legislation is more urgent than ever.

An approved project, but no payment

The jury approved the project. This included a grant of 25,000 euros.

One more step was needed: approval via ministerial decision by the supervising minister of the National Lottery. That approval did not come. As a result, funding is lost for a project that was positively assessed in substance.

For Dryade, this means a serious financial loss. We had already started implementing the project and were counting on the allocated resources to enable training, publications, and advisory work.

We will not let nature restoration come to a standstill

Dryade is not sitting idly by. Nature restoration is too important to let it come to a standstill due to the loss of this grant.

Therefore, we are calling on everyone who values strong nature legislation, independent expertise, and a healthy living environment.

With the crowdfunding “Support nature restoration — let this project continue” we aim to raise 25,000 euros. This way, we can still realise the project: providing training, sharing knowledge, and supporting organisations that work on the implementation of the Nature Restoration Act.

Every contribution helps to make this work possible.

Exceptional refusal

The refusal fits into a notable context. Earlier, a grant for Apache was also not approved. Apache investigated how many files were approved in recent years and how many were refused. On 6,647 approved files there were only 2 refusals: Apache and Dryade.

This raises serious questions. Why are these projects being blocked after they were substantively approved? And what does this mean for organisations that carry out critical, independent and socially necessary work?

For Dryade, the answer is clear: we will continue.

Support nature restoration. Help Dryade realise this project.