🪵 Can I gather firewood (deadwood)?

No, taking deadwood from a forest is in principle forbidden — it is part of the forest ecosystem. In Flanders, removing wood, even dead and fallen wood, from the public forests of the Agency for Nature and Forests is forbidden: deadwood has an important ecological function and taking it without permission amounts to theft. In a private forest, gathering is only allowed with the owner's express consent. In Wallonia, the old right of affouage (firewood from communal forests) exists, but it goes through the municipality: you need an allocation or permit and usually pay per lot — free gathering without authorization is forbidden. In Brussels, taking wood from the forests is forbidden. In short: never just take wood from a forest without papers or consent.