Although an enjoyable nudist holiday is viewed by many as an absolute blessing for humans, it may prove destructive to feathered kind, in light of some beach-goers’ ”subsidiary” activities, the Belgian wildlife authority has warned.
The Belgian Naturism Federation, which unites a rapidly growing number of nudists under its aegis, has stood up in their defense after the Flemish wildlife agency refused to give the green light to a second nudist beach in the country, according to the Flemish daily Het Nieusblad.
Attempts to secure a much-coveted naturist status for a secluded area not far from Westende, to the south of the famous tourist trap Ostende, hit a roadblock after the local fauna watchdog claimed that bathers’ ”subsidiary” beach activities, thereby referring to sex in the dunes, may threaten the nesting of the rare crested lark, frequently seen in the area. Chances are that the bird would be alarmed by the romantic activity and flee out of security concerns.
The natural shape of the dunes is another question on the table, since these can easily be damaged, while measures of deterrence like a fence around the dunes that are home to breeding birds won’t work, according to Steve Vandeberghe, the local mayor of Bredene, where Belgium’s first and only nudist beach lies. Speaking to the Flemish newspaper, he ruled out the option of a barbed wire around the spot, saying that he doubts people without clothes will have troubles getting over it.