4. Oostvaardersplassen ( To view location on itinerary map click here)
Map taken from the "Staatsbosbeheer Oostvaaderplassen information" leaflet
General
Oostvaardersplassen is a 6,000 hectare wetland site situated in a polder 5 km southwest of the town of Lelystad, in the province of Flevoland, central Netherlands. It is about 35 minutes drive from Amsterdam.
The creation of Oostvaardersplassen , a reserve where the grassland is maintained entirely by closed herds of large wild herbivores, is an incredible achievement. The site lies within a polder originally dyked and drained with intended uses to include industry, agriculture and housing; but not nature conservation. However, before such developments could be realized, the European economy went into decline and so, from 1968, the polder was left to nature for a number of years. Within four years: there were extensive reedbeds in the lower lying areas around the expanse of open water; and the grassland was populated by greylag geese Anser anser. The wildlife interest of the site is phenomenal; particularly in relation to nesting and breeding birds.
By 1975 plans to manage the site for nature conservation were being drafted and, over the years, the site has been extended and enhanced in a number of ways. There was much enthusiasm regarding the "natural" development of the Ecosystem. By 1982 it was recognised that, if a fully functional wetland ecosystem were to be created, then more pastures, and consequently large grazers, were needed. There was much development pressure in the area around the reserve as the newly poldered landscape of Flevoland was developed; with new town and industrial zones. A key decision was made to reroute an important railway line that should have crossed the reserve, thus enabling the site to be extended and providing the required area of pasture.
HECK
CATTLE from BIOFAAN
KONIK
PONIES from BIOFAAN
A decision was taken not to work with local farmers, except during a period of transition, but to continue with the theme of producing as natural a system as possible. The grazing was introduced gradually and hardy, wild (or primative..ish) breeds were sought. The final choice was to use the controversial heck cattle (click for info). Heck were effectively created by the German Heck brothers during the 1920s in an attempt to recreate the original wild cattle of Europe, the Auroch.
In 1983 the first 32 heck cattle were introduced and a year later 20 konik ponies were brought in. The site is now grazed by approximately 700 Heck cattle, 700 konik Ponies and 1000 red deer. There is minimum intervention at the site, no supplementary feeding and animals are only culled if they are deemed to be suffering. For more information regarding grazing and grazing animals in nature reserves click here.
The water levels within the reserve were not managed prior to 1996 and then from 1976 to 1996 they were managed, using pumps to try and achieve optimum levels. Now, once again they are managed naturally so that the water level within the reserve is entirely the result of precipitation and evaporation.
Wildlife