Sonian Forest – Réserve forestière du Ticton B

The Ticton Forest Reserve is one of the most striking corners of the Sonian Forest, tucked away in the municipality of La Hulpe in Walloon Brabant, right at the edge of the Brussels region. It's a place where the forest has been left to its own devices — no logging, no maintenance, no human intervention beyond what is strictly necessary.

What exactly is it?

Ticton is a forest reserve covering more than 22 hectares, formally established in 2016 by decree of the Walloon Government. It falls under the management of the region's Department of Nature and Forests. Unlike most of the Sonian Forest, which is actively managed for timber production, Ticton is a zone of integral protection — trees grow, age and die without foresters stepping in.

Why this particular spot matters

The heart of the reserve is its stand of old beech trees, some reaching around 40 metres in height, with most specimens aged between 150 and 200 years. Their tall, straight trunks, bare of branches for much of their length, create the cathedral-like effect the Sonian Forest is famous for in postcards and guidebooks. In Ticton this effect is especially pronounced, because the trees grew densely and almost uniformly in age — a legacy of forestry practices from centuries past.

How the reserve is protected

The only interventions allowed inside Ticton are the removal of invasive species and the felling of individual trees that pose a genuine safety risk, for instance those at risk of falling across a path. Beyond that, nature is left to run its own course: trees fall, decompose, and are replaced by new generations. This keeps the soil undisturbed and preserves deadwood — a vital habitat for insects, fungi and birds — instead of clearing it away as happens in commercially managed woodland.

Part of a wider story

Ticton is one piece of the ongoing effort to have the Sonian Forest inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Within that initiative, the network of integral forest reserves also includes Joseph Zwaenepoel in the Flemish part of the forest and Grippensdelle in the Brussels region — Ticton represents the Walloon section. Despite the forest being split administratively across Belgium's three regions, it is treated as a single ecosystem of exceptional natural value.

Frequently asked questions

Can you walk through the Ticton reserve? Yes, walking trails cross the area and are popular with visitors exploring the grounds around Domaine Solvay in La Hulpe. Visitors should stick to marked paths, since this is a strict nature protection zone rather than an ordinary park.

What sets Ticton apart from the rest of the Sonian Forest? The absence of forestry management. Most of the forest is actively used and periodically thinned, while Ticton has been left as close to a natural state as possible, with trees dating back roughly two centuries.

How old are the oldest trees here? The reserve is dominated by beech trees aged 150 to 200 years, some standing about 40 metres tall.

Is the reserve linked to UNESCO? Yes, Ticton forms part of the effort to have the Sonian Forest recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, representing the Walloon portion among the forest's integral reserves.

Where exactly is it located? In the municipality of La Hulpe, in Walloon Brabant, in the southern part of the Sonian Forest near the border with the Brussels-Capital Region.