Brabant is one of the few provinces in the Netherlands where nature and forest areas have been added in the past ten years. Fields and grasslands were often sacrificed for this, and there are fewer and fewer of them. Achtereinds Laag in Waalre is such an area that has undergone such a change thanks to Brabants Landschap. “But our work is far from over,” said ranger Nick Jeurissen.
As he walks in his boots through the swampy Achtereinds Laag, Jeurissen from nature manager Brabants Landschap points to the edge of the area. “There, up to those forest edges, it has all been transformed into nature. It was actually all agricultural areas.” It concerns a total of about forty hectares.
The nature reserve in Waalre is one of the parts in Brabant where this development has taken place in recent years. According to Statistics Netherlands, our province has gained a net of eighteen square kilometers of nature and forest since 2013.
“Compared to a few years ago, this area has changed 180 degrees.”
There were actually fewer farmlands, as fields and meadows decreased by 64 square kilometers. Furthermore, Brabant, like every province, was built more fully. An additional 38 square kilometers of buildings were added.
Only in Brabant, Overijssel, Drenthe and Limburg did the natural area grow.
The fact that this area in Waalre used to be agricultural is no longer visible. The metamorphosis here in Waalre started a few years ago and is still continuing. Jeurissen can enjoy that. “That’s absolutely fantastic, of course. Especially if you compare this with a few years ago. This area has changed 180 degrees.”
Brabants Landschap has created depressions so that water remains in the area during wetter periods. “That water is attractive to many species of birds such as waders, lapwings, ducks, but also amphibians benefit from it. Now that there is more vegetation, you also see other species of frogs, such as the European tree frog.”
“If I’m completely honest, it’s about political choices and there has to be money.”
But why is Brabant in a better position than other provinces in the country? According to Jeurissen, nature managers and forest rangers are doing their very best, but two things are most important. “If I’m very honest, it’s about political choices and money has to be available. Then you can do this.”
Despite this beautiful piece of nature, Jeurissen is concerned about the state of Brabant’s outdoor life. “There are species that do quite well in our nature, but there are also many concerns in our country about the declining trends of insects and meadow birds.”
In the meantime, he looks out with pride over the Achtereinds Laag. “This area is never finished, it continues to be developed. In ten years it will look very different again.”
