Île de la Vanne Cunin

The King Baudouin Foundation owns three islands in the Semois thanks to generous donors who set up the 'Fonds des Îles de la Semois ' (the Semois Islands Fund). The fund's mission is to safeguard the islands of Bohan, Vanne Cunin and Montclar Poète. The first two islands are in the municipality of Vresse-sur-Semois, and the third in Poupehan in the municipality of Bouillon. There are no fewer than 80 islands in the Semois, ranging in size from a few square metres to more than two hectares. These surfaces are constantly changing as flooding occurs (erosion in some areas, sediment and gravel deposits in others).

History

On the map of Count de Ferraris (1770), the island is shown as a meadow. The Robiet and Conquelles rocks overlooking the island on the right and left banks respectively are also shown on the map. An outcrop on the left bank was used as a quarry in the 19th century. The island is also known as Île des Conquelles, the name of the hill on the left bank. In Latin, concha means a basin-shaped valley, a bay, a meander. 'Conquelles' therefore refers to the meander in which the island is located. The regional road on the right bank appeared in 1877. Prior to that, the direct link between Vresse and Membre was via the path on the left bank with a ford upstream of the island. This is shown on Ferraris' map. The name 'le gué' (the ford) given to the former campsite and the lane on the right bank, is a reminder of its existence. In 1988, the island passed into the hands of the King Baudouin Foundation, thanks to the support of the Fédération Sportive des Pêcheurs Francophones de Belgique (Belgian Federation of Anglers). The aim of this acquisition was to maintain the islands in their natural state, as they are remarkable breeding grounds for fish as well as nesting sites for birds.

Management

Since 2014, the King Baudouin Foundation has been working on a project to restore the island to its historical aspect, characterised by the mowing that used to take place there. Restoring these practices in alluvial meadows helps combat invasive exotic species, such as the abundant Himalayan balsam. Late mowing encourages the reappearance of species with greater biological value. The island is classified as a site of great biological interest and is part of the Natura 2000 network as a 'priority open environment'. During the summer of 2024, the Semois Valley National Park carried out a botanical inventory of the island and identified 81 different species. Numerous animals were photographed on the island, including the rare and solitary forest cat which, unlike its cousin the domestic cat, is not afraid of water. The left arm of the river has gravel pits that are attractive to rheophilous fish (which like areas with currents) such as barbel, chub, the common dace and common nase. The island's banks include several small hydraulic annexes of great value in terms of biodiversity. These are home to many fish fry and amphibians, and also attract certain dragonflies.

La Vanne

A 'vanne' is a fishery consisting of a vast area of rip rap organised in a V-shape across the river. The tip of the 'V' ends in an opening where the fish trap was placed. The ‘Vanne Cunin’ lay between the island and the right bank. It belonged to the family of Colas Cunin, Vresse's last ferryman. He would ferry people across the Semois in a boat with the help of a pole. The remains of the rip rap that was part of the 'vanne' are visible during low-water periods.