Nature of Belgium - national parks and reserves for active recreation

Belgium is located in the western part of the European continent. It has shared borders with France, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. The north-western border of the country is washed by the North Sea. The territory of the state is mainly represented by plains that become higher in the direction from the north-west to the south-east. The territory of Belgium can be divided into 3 natural landscape areas. In the northwestern part of the country, there is a sandy plain. In the center of Belgium lies a plateau, which is a hilly area. In the southeast of the country, the Ardennes Mountains begin, smoothly moving into the territory of neighboring France. In the Ardennes is to be found the highest point in Belgium – Mount Botranzh, which is 694 meters in height. More than half the area of ​​Belgium is set aside for farming. About 20% of the Belgian territory is occupied by forests. An extensive network of rivers is connected by numerous channels. They are convenient for shipping, as they are not covered by ice during the winter due to the moderately warm maritime climate.

The Zwin Nature Reserve is located near the border with the Netherlands. It is spread over an area of ​​1.5 square kilometers. The reserve is located on the site where shallow sea bay used to be. Today it is a whole range of marshes and salt marshes. Founded in 1952, Zwin was simply a paradise for birds. The marshland is chosen by about 100 species of birds for nesting. Tourists not only from Belgium but also from many European countries come to see the birds in their natural habitat. The best time to visit Zwin is in spring when the nesting period is around the corner. Only 30% of the reserve’s territory is open to visitors. Walking in Zwin is possible only along special paths, so as not to disturb the unique eco-environment.

One of the pieces of Belgian nature undisturbed by man is the “High Marsh” national nature reserve. Founded in 1957, this reserve is today the largest in the state. Its high marsh can be seen stretching over the eastern border of the country. The task of creating a reserve was to ensure the protection of the plateau and the preservation of tender bogs’ ecosystems as well as the fauna representatives inhabiting them. The entire territory of the reserve is covered with marshes and peatlands. Due to Peat moss growing here, which becomes peat over time, the high marsh has created an ideal environment for a comfortable habitat for many unique plants and ferns. Some fens are over 10 thousand years old. During the winter period, the slopes of the reserve turn into one of the country’s best ski resorts. Visitors are only allowed to stroll through the reserve on foot. Nevertheless, the local tourism center offers ski rentals in winter, and bicycles or horses in the warm season. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

The first national park Hoge Kempen, which was opened in 2006 in Flanders, is a special pride of the Belgians. Its territory covers the land of 6 municipalities and is about 5000 hectares. The entire reserve is composed of pine forests that grow interspersed with green meadows. The place where sand and gravel were mined previously has now become an impressive lake, remarkable in size. All the beauty of the park can be seen by rising to the natural heights of Hoge Kempen, which is a little less than 100 meters. The reserve has become a habitat for such rare animals as a slippery snake, European bee wolf or antlions. You will also come across a roe here. You can have a view of the most beautiful places in the national park by going for a walk along one of the hiking routes. Their length is varied and ranges from 3 to 14 kilometers. In specialized stalls, there is an opportunity to buy a map, on which walking or cycling routes have been marked.

On the North Sea coast in the town of Koksijde, there is a nature reserve called Hoge Blekker. It covers an area of ​​18 hectares. The highlights of the reserve are sand dunes, each of which has its own name. The reserve itself is named after the largest dune on the entire Belgian coast. It goes as high as 33 meters into the sky. Many dunes in the reserve have an impressive age. The time of their formation has been recorded to be the period between the 16th and 19th centuries. The dunes have a horseshoe shape, elongated in the direction of the wind. You will find various crops growing between the dunes. This became possible due to the use of fish chitling as fertilizer by local farmers. To prevent the dunes from expanding into the surrounding islands, various shrubs and low trees were planted around the perimeter. On the territory of Hoge Blekker is grown elderberry, blackthorn, hawthorn, and sea buckthorns. You can walk around the reserve at any time, but only along special paths. Separate routes have been equipped for tourists who wish to move around on bicycles.