Education and Information

Visitor centre
Education and information are important issues in nature management (see: Management) and related tourism (see: Tourism and recreation). Plans for a large visitor centre for the whole region, including the Westhoek state nature reserve are present for several years. The idea is to make a regional centre for education, information and communication. The centre is already built and called ‘De Nachtegaal’. It is planned to open in 2001. The visitor centre aims to be an information centre for both tourists and regional residents.

Tourist information
Information to the tourists is provided in the form of leaflets and brochures, both from AMINAL as from the tourist department from De Panne. The information is given in three (or four) languages: English, Dutch, French (and German). There are maps of the area with the walking, bicycling and horse-riding paths. On this map also information is given about the rules and regulations in the reserve. There are also brochures about the nature management in the Westhoek state nature reserve.

At almost every entrance there is an information board, which give information about the flora and fauna in the dunes, about the genesis of the dunes and the rules and regulations in the reserve. Also, at the main entrance an information booth is present which is manned in the holiday season.

It is also possible to have an excursion through the dunes with a nature guide. In the future, excursions are planned which take the people to see the grazers and learn about them.

Result
Education and information is a powerful and necessary tool for nature management and for tourism. The visitor centre, information boards and booth provide information about the rules and regulations but also about the genesis of the dunes and the flora and fauna. The visitor centre provides information and education for residents and tourists and is important for communication between all the different management and user groups of the Westhoek dunes.