The ‘Binnenveldse Hooilanden’ (literally translated: Innerfield Hayfields)
The Binnenveld is an area of fen meadows between Wageningen, Ede, Veenendaal and Rhenen. Part of the Binnenveld is reverting back to how it looked a century ago: here, the old flower-rich fen meadows are being restored. For many conservationists, this offers an opportunity for special nature. This is why citizens founded the Mooi Binnenveld Association – to restore and manage a typical brook-valley ecosystem with many rare species.
The Province of Gelderland was the owner and initiator of the project Binnenveldse Hooilanden to withdraw land from regular agricultural use and initiate the restoration of nature. In 2014, the Province invited the Forestry Commission (Staatsbosbeheer, SBB), the farmers’ cooperative (Coöperatie Binnenveldse Hooilanden, CBH) and the citizens’ initiative (Mooi Binnenveld Association, MB) to prepare a general layout plan and a joint management plan for the redevelopment of the intended nature. In 2016, the province accepted these plans and the project started.
The Binnenveldse Hooilanden is a new 280-hectare nature reserve owned by Staatsbosbeheer (SBB) (180 ha; green on the map), Mooi Binnenveld (MB) Foundation (50 ha; blue), and Coöperatie Binnenveldse Hooilanden (CBH) (50 ha; red). Together and in close cooperation these three organizations, representing the state, citizens and farmers respectively, manage the 280-hectare of nature. CBH is a cooperative of 7 dairy farmers who jointly own and manage their 50 hectares.
Recreating wet meadows
Before the nature reserve was established in 2019, most of the area was managed as relatively unproductive wet grassland, which had been fertilised for decades. The restoration measures took about one year and were completed in 2020. The nutrient-rich topsoil was removed to a depth of roughly 20 cm and spread on adjacent farmers’ fields. This had several benefits: the nutrient load was depleted and the underlying peat was exposed and provided an ideal substrate for the re-establishment of mesotrophic plant communities; the groundwater level was raised within the project area, and at the same time, the nutrient-rich soil was deposited on neighbouring agricultural land. Micro-relief has been created to provide some variation in the landscape. Shallow open drains have been cut to discharge precipitation superficially. This superficial drainage is also expected to stimulate the upward seepage of calcareous groundwater. The original brook, the ‘Kromme Eem’, has been restored. Many other hydrological measures have been taken to prevent nutrient-rich water from entering the nature area. After the topsoil removal it should take many years for the desired vegetation to develop. To speed up the process, mowings of fresh hay were imported from nearby nature reserves and spread across some of the parcels. In the parcel where a walkway allows visitors to enter the nature area, mowings of fresh hay were brought from different sources. To the east of the walkway hay from ‘de Hel’ and ‘de Blauwe Hel’ and to the west of the walkway hay from the ‘Bennekomse Meent’ was spread. In addition, seed of a few selected species were imported from the Groene Grens, notably Marsh lousewort (Pedicularis palustris) was sown to the East and Marsh gentian (Gentiana pneumonanthe) to the West of the walkway.
Restoration success
The nature project really started in 2020 and the speed with which the nature value of the area has developed has been astonishing. The distribution of mowings was clearly a success! By July 2021 when the first detailed vegetation survey was conducted, the area was already colonised by typical fen meadow species, including some rarities such as the fen violet (Viola stagnina) and orchids. The variation of land and water and different water tables provides perfect habitat for meadow birds, water birds, and reed birds. The number and variety of birds have increased immensely and the Dutch national bird, the black-tailed godwit, is abundant.
The Future
Of course, the Binnenveldse Hooilanden faces challenges. The different interests of the parties and choices to be made are not easy to manage, especially when external factors like urbanisation, future-proof policies, the energy transition, and climate change increase pressure on the area. To cope with these challenges, MB continues to believe that cooperation and good agreements with all stakeholders can arrive at a ‘future-proof’ Binnenveld and, therefore, took the initiative to develop a Vision 2024 for the area (https://mooibinnenveld.nl/gebiedsvisie-binnenveld-2040/; June 2024).
The Mooi Binnenveld Association
Mooi Binnenveld (MB – literally translated as beautiful ‘inner’ field) is a volunteer organization created to support the development of the Binnenveldse Hooilanden in 2016. The central objective of MB is the development, management and conservation of nature. Through a successful crowd-funding campaign, MB raised funds to purchase 50 hectares in 2020, and also has a management contract for the Groene Grens, a new 40 hectare nature reserve on the east side of Veenendaal. Both management agreements are supported by volunteers. The work initially consisted of spreading mowings from the nearby nature reserves and in subsequent years the removal of tree seedlings from the fen meadows.
Mooi Binnenveld welcomes your support. You can become a member of the Association (see https://mooibinnenveld.nl/lidmaatschap/), which offers you the opportunity to talk about nature in the Binnenveld and also support the work of the Association. The Association represents its members in the negotiations and implementation of the management of the Binnenveldse Hooilanden. Next to the membership fee, other financial contributions are highly appreciated. You can subscribe to the free Newsletter of Mooi Binnenveld and become active as a volunteer. Mooi Binnenveld actively organizes excursions with professional guides to the Hooilanden and Groene Grens as well as nature education days for primary school children.