Theme 2024

Here begins a sustainable world: Our forests, our green gold. Let's take action together!

Every two years, the Libramont Fair takes place over 6 days: 4 days on the Libramont fairgrounds and 2 days, in situ, in the Bertrix forest for Demo Forest.

In 2024, Demo Forest will focus on the multifunctionality of the forest, with a particular emphasis on the forestry and wood industry. This sector is a major source of employment and the lifeblood of our regions. In Belgium, forests cover 23% of the country, or 700,000 hectares. It is a natural and renewable resource that professionals are committed to developing in accordance with the rules of sustainable management. The wood from our forests can be used to meet many of our society’s needs. It has many advantages, and the challenges to which it can contribute are vital and urgent.

Focus on a subject at the heart of the wood industry

Increasing demographic pressure, increased urban density, less building land, the use of new plots and the development of new construction solutions are required to design and build tomorrow’s buildings.

Fossil fuels and traditional construction methods are no longer able to maintain the pace of construction required for rational, sustainable and innovative urban development.

Wood construction and, more broadly, the “forestry/wood” industry has an decisive part to play in the urban changes which are transforming our landscapes and life styles.

Wood is a modern material par excellence thanks to industrialised processing and value creation. It can meet the challenges of the city of today and, especially, of tomorrow.

The use of wood in public and private infrastructure, for individual homes and, especially, for collective, multi-story housing enables the creation of environmental value, the reconciliation of humans with their habitat by providing a more natural living environment which is better for their health and, also more modern, aesthetic, comfortable and elegant.

These wood resources (our forests!) cannot be relocated. Our companies also have the know-how required and wood materials research and development is ongoing…

It is therefore possible, by turning to the forestry/wood industry, to create a truly virtuous cycle serving the local economic fabric, sustainable development and the bonds between people…to create a new way of living together.