Spa: Heritage and Climate Challenges

From October 14 to 16, the City of Spa and the Natural Park of the Springs hosted an international workshop as part of the Preserving Legacies program. The objective was to preserve Spa's heritage (springs, natural areas, landscapes, buildings) in the face of climate change. Local actors, elected officials, and experts shared their knowledge to identify risks (droughts, floods, fires, forest water stress) and explore adaptation strategies. Spa, a member of the Great Spa Towns of Europe (UNESCO World Heritage), was selected in 2025 for the international Preserving Legacies program. The workshop brought together representatives from the City of Spa, the Natural Park of the Springs, the Department of Nature and Forests (DNF), the Walloon Heritage Agency (AWaP), the Royal Commission for Monuments, Sites and Excavations (CRMSF), as well as local elected officials and international observers. Participants identified priority heritage elements to be preserved and discussed ways to address them. The discussions will be compiled to implement a first action in 2027 and develop a roadmap for heritage adaptation to climate change. This initiative is part of a collaboration with Vichy and Bath.