Bos- en heidegebieden ten oosten van Antwerpen

General Description

The forest and heath areas to the east of Antwerp offer a beautiful mix of woodlands, stream valleys, and heathland. They include the oldest deciduous forests of the Campine region. In the Visbeek Valley, you can find one of the last populations of adders in Flanders. And if you look carefully, you might spot floating water-plantain in the ponds and fens.

Identification

The forest and heath areas to the east of Antwerp are spread across 14 subareas in 18 municipalities in the province of Antwerp. They are located in a broad central zone of the province. Most subareas lie in the Campine, within the Central Campine river and dune district. They are situated north of the Kleine Nete Valley and south of Blak, Kievitsheide, and Ekstergoor.

Landscape Description

This region features flat to gently undulating terrain within the Nete basin. The slight undulation is mostly found near inland dunes that follow the orientation of the streams. There is a dense network of brooks draining into the Kleine Nete, including the Tappelbeek, Molenbeek, Visbeek, and Grote Caliebeek. Thousands of ponds lie within the wide valleys, once used for fish farming or peat extraction. The area presents a scenic mix of forests, heathlands, and stream valleys.

Who is active in the area

The Agency for Nature and Forests owns 16% of the area and manages an additional 22%, including municipal forests and military domains. Nature organizations manage 5% of the land. There are 984 hectares of agricultural land registered by 278 farms. The Ministry of Defence is active in the military zones of Malle and Tielen. Pidpa operates one groundwater extraction site in the area and three more in the immediate vicinity. Lastly, some parts of the region attract a large number of recreational visitors.

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

Click here to install Obsidentify.
 

Photo: geel schorpioenmos, Yves Adams (Vilda)