Nature Oasis Flourishes In Belgium's Coal Belt BELGIUM: April 14, 2008 GENK - Fringed by dark hills of coal waste and long-shuttered collieries, Belgium's first national park might seem a humble contender for the role of global model for conservation and economic regeneration. The pine woods and heather meadows of the Hoge Kempen park in northeastern Belgium sit on a small plateau above criss-crossing motorways and cooling towers in one of Europe's most crowded corners.