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16 April 2008
WASHINGTON – Fleming Ignace Schops is receiving the Goldman Prize in Washington on Wednesday. The prize is one of the most prestigious environmental prizes in the world.
Ignace Schops is the director of the Regional Landscape Authority of the Kempen and Maasland Districts.
He created the National Park of the Kempen District in an area with a relatively dense population. The National Park covers 6,000 hectares and stretches from Genk to Maasmechelen in Limburg province.
He receives the award for the innovating way in which he collected funds.
Schops told the VRT that in Flanders there are insufficient government funds available to do great things. He uses a model that generates funds from alternative sources.
In this way, funds from business sources can be used to support environmental objectives.
The National Park in the Kempen District was created using monies from conversion funds set up at the time of the mine closures.
The Goldman Prize is worth USD 150,000 (EUR 100,000).
Schops intends to donate the cash to nature conservation projects across Flanders.
[flandersenews.be / Expatica]