LINDA: Land Use Innovation Network: Data, and Analysis
VITO and the Flemish Department of Environment are joining forces from 2025 onwards through a cooperation agreement, combining their expertise, data and knowledge on land use in Flanders to better support societal and spatial challenges. The collaboration builds a network of public administrations, research institutions and other relevant stakeholders who benefit from better and shared knowledge on Flemish land use data.
Through a multi-annual research programme, analyses, impact assessments, foresight studies and land-use data are developed to support informed and future-proof spatial decisions. The results are translated into practical tools, maps and policy support for Flemish and local governments.
The programme runs from 2025 to 2030 and is jointly coordinated by the Department of Environment and VITO.
The cooperation agreement between VITO and the Department of Environment for the period 2025–2030 aims to structurally bring together knowledge, data and expertise on land use in Flanders. The collaboration responds to increasing pressure on available space and the need for evidence-based decisions to address societal challenges such as climate adaptation, biodiversity restoration, agriculture, housing, energy and water management.
The agreement is built around two main pillars: a network of public administrations, research institutions, local authorities and other stakeholders, and a multi-annual land-use research programme. This programme focuses on addressing knowledge gaps, analysing drivers of land-use change, conducting impact assessments, exploring future scenarios, and improving the quality and consistency of land-use data.
The collaboration promotes knowledge exchange and co-creation, while translating system insights into practical maps, indicators, tools and policy frameworks. In this way, it supports both Flemish and local authorities and other local actors in making robust and future-proof spatial decisions.
VITO's role in LINDA
VITO and the Department of Environment play complementary roles within this collaboration. The Department of Environment provides the policy leadership, ensuring that the knowledge generated addresses policy needs and is embedded in Flemish environmental and spatial policy. VITO contributes its scientific and technical expertise in land use, spatial data, Earth observation, modelling and impact assessment. This combination of policy direction and scientific excellence enables the partnership to analyse complex land-use challenges, address knowledge gaps and support robust spatial decision-making.
VITO provides the data, analyses, scenarios and foresights that underpin the programme, while the Department of Environment translates these insights into policy development and implementation. The collaboration builds on VITO’s longstanding experience in projects related to land use, climate, biodiversity, ecosystems and sustainable spatial development, further strengthening the land-use knowledge ecosystem in Flanders.
Projectpartners
Events
Meeting Day Digital Flanders
22 October 2026
Ghent, Belgium
Interested in joining our network or using our data sets? Meet us in the Forum for a pitch about land use, innovations like “Chat With Your Maps” and how to translate these to impactful actions.
