Herstel brakwatermoeras langs de Oosterschelde
Beijersbergen, J.; van der Reest, P. (2004). Herstel brakwatermoeras langs de Oosterschelde. Levende Nat. 105(5): 195-199
In: De Levende Natuur: tijdschrift voor Natuurbehoud en Natuurbeheer. Stichting De Levende Natuur: Oosterbeek; Amsterdam; 's-Graveland. ISSN 0024-1520, more
|
| Keywords |
Recovery
Water bodies > Inland waters > Wetlands > Swamps
ANE, Netherlands, Oosterschelde [Marine Regions]
Brackish water |
| Authors | | Top |
- Beijersbergen, J., more
- van der Reest, P., more
|
|
|
| Abstract |
The organizations for nature conservation and management in the province Zeeland have proposed a program for the restoration of brackish marshes in the early nineties: the so called Redshank Program. The program meant to relieve the decline of estuarine animal and plant life in and around the Oosterschelde, an estuary in SW Netherlands, after building a storm surge barrier. The program listed 44 different projects. 33 projects were actually planned. So far 13 projects have been executed. A small project (56 ha) was carried out in the Van Haaftenpolder. The morphology and hydrology of a former tidal creek was restored by means of dredging and same arabie fields were turned into natural pastures by removing the artificial drainage system and nutritive saillayers. The project was quite successful because coastal breeding birds, like Avocet, Little plover and Common tern returned and rare plant species of wet dune slacks established.A larger project (214 ha) was carried out in the Prunje area. Agricultural fields were transformed into brackish marshland and natural pastures by natural engineering. Creeks which were filled in and leveled in the past were completely dug out. Saline seepage was enhanced by placing seepage conducts. The area was rapidly colonized by breeding waders and terns; salt marsh vegetation and brackish water plants were restored on a large scale.Both projects demonstrate that good results can be achieved by natural engineering on brackish marshes and focus the attention on the importance of the water circulation and the dimension of water bodies as key factors for a good brackish water system. |
|
