Valleigebied van de Kleine Nete met brongebieden, moerassen en heiden

General Description

The Kleine Nete is one of the most natural rivers in Flanders, with good water quality and a beautiful mix of natural habitats such as peat remnants, rough grasslands, meadows, forests, and heathlands. Species like the spotted darter, smooth snake, and green-winged orchid can be found here.

Identification

This area lies in the Campine region, near the Kleine Nete and its upper reaches. The eleven subareas are spread across fifteen municipalities in the province of Antwerp, with one subarea located in the province of Limburg. Covering 4,884 hectares, it is one of the largest Natura 2000 habitat directive areas in Flanders. The bird directive sites De Zegge and De Ronde Put partly overlap with this habitat area, bringing the total protected area to over 9,000 hectares.

Landscape Description

The valley of the Kleine Nete features a rich mosaic of natural clusters. The Kleine Nete is one of the most unspoiled rivers in Flanders and its valley hosts grasslands, rough vegetation, ponds, and forests. There are also lowland peat marshes—ideal for wetland birds. On the dry Campine sandy soils, a varied landscape of forests, dunes, and heathland vegetation can be found. The lower reaches of the Kleine Nete are tidal, allowing remnants of estuarine nature to persist. In addition, there are beautiful patches of wet heath with fens and succession vegetation.

Click here for more information about the Natuurpunt areas De Maat, Den Diel and Buitengoor!

Click here to go to the Bioblitz page of this Natura 2000 area.

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Photo: yellow-spotted whiteface, Reinhardt Strubbe