How to preserve the springs, natural spaces, landscapes, and buildings that define Spa's identity in the face of climate change? For three days, local actors, elected officials, and experts shared their knowledge to better understand the risks Spa's heritage might face and explore adaptation strategies.
Spa is part of the Great Spa Towns of Europe, collectively inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its heritage is closely linked to water, nature, and its thermal history.
The workshop brought together representatives from the City of Spa, the Sources Natural Park, the Nature and Forests Department (DNF), the Walloon Heritage Agency (AWaP), and the Royal Commission for Monuments, Sites and Excavations (CRMSF), as well as local elected officials, members of the citizen assembly, and other local stakeholders. Observers from other sites in the Preserving Legacies program, from around the world, also participated in the discussions.
Together, participants identified heritage elements to prioritize for preservation, including springs, natural areas, the urban center, and buildings related to its thermal history. They then considered the current and future effects of climate change and ways to address them.
Climate projections presented by specialists, including climatologist Xavier Fettweis from the University of Liège, addressed risks likely to affect the region: droughts, heavy rainfall, floods, fires, and forest water stress.
A visit to the Domaine de Bérinzenne also highlighted the actions of the Sources Natural Park, particularly in regenerative hydrology.
This workshop is a step in the reflection on the future of Spa's heritage. The exchanges will now be compiled and deepened. The goal is to implement a first concrete action in 2027 and develop a roadmap to guide the adaptation of heritage to climate change in the coming years.
In 2025, Spa was selected among ten sites worldwide to participate in Preserving Legacies, an international program dedicated to heritage adaptation in the face of climate change. This initiative is part of a collaboration with Vichy and Bath, also members of the Great Spa Towns of Europe.
