The Veluwezoom National Park includes some very well-known natural areas such as the Herikhuizerveld and the Uncommon bosses northwest of Arnhem on the west bank of the IJssel. The Veluwezoom was declared a national park as early as 1930, making it the oldest in the Netherlands. The landscapes of the Veluwezoom are spectacular. The forests in particular have something magical about them. The height differences are also impressive. The Veluwe massif, which here reaches heights of over 100 m, merges into the IJssel river valley and gives the landscape a spectacular relief with special views.
background
history
When the first people settled on the Veluwe, it was completely covered with deciduous forest. In the following years, most of the forest was cut down or fell victim to excessive wild consumption by sheep and cattle. This is how wide heather fields such as the Herikhuizerveld and the Rheder- and Worthrheder Heide emerged. In some places all vegetation even disappeared and sand drifts such as the Rozendaalse Zand and the Rheder- and Worthrheder Zand emerged. Just some old coppice forests like the Imbosch, 't Asselt and the Uncommon bosses always remained overgrown with forest.
After the Middle Ages, there were several on the fertile lands on the southern edge of the area buitenplaatsen (Summer residences for wealthy city dwellers from the 17th century) founded with parks and park forests, e.g. B. Beekhuizen, Heuven and Rhederoord.
In the 19th century, the heather and sand drifts began to be reforested, creating extensive pine forests, especially in the northern part of the national park, in the Schaddevelden and Eerbeekse Veld.
As the appreciation for nature and landscape began to increase around 1900, the area attracted more and more tourists who wandered in the area. In the beginning, these were wealthy residents of the cities in the west of the country. In the first decades of the 20th century, the area attracted increasing numbers of people from across the country and from broad sections of the population. During this time the Posbank became known nationwide as a destination for many day trips.
From 1911 the nature conservation foundation Natural monuments bought most of the forests and heather fields in the area. In 1930 the Veluwezoom was proclaimed the first national park in the Netherlands. Even after that, the purchase of natural areas in the region has continued to this day.
Today's development
Until the mid-1980s, the national park was traditionally maintained intensively, with timber production and hunting taking an important place. Since then, maintenance in most of the national park has been geared more and more towards natural development. Here, the non-native tree species have been largely removed and you now go a path of "doing nothing", whereby trees and plants can reproduce naturally and dead and fallen trees are left behind. Dead animals also remain in the area so that they can become part of the food cycle again. Large grasses are used in an ever larger part of the park, which by nibbling on trees and bushes ensure that there is a variation in the vegetation and that certain areas are kept open. In the northern part, the largest, Scottish Highland cattle are used, in the south on the Herikhuizerveld and in Beekhuizen Icelandic ponies. On most of the former agricultural areas of the Veluwezoom, agricultural use has now ended and red deer, wild boar, Scottish highland cattle and Icelandic ponies are now grazing.
In the southern part of the national park, the measures are more intensive. The heather fields of the Herikhuizerveld and the Beekhuizense Heide are maintained as a partially natural landscape by pesting and removing trees. The flock of sheep from Rheden can also often be found with their shepherds on these heather fields to keep the heather open.
The estates on the southern edge of the national park require the most intensive maintenance. The maintenance of the cultural and historical values such as the existing parks, the avenues, sight lines, water sections and groups of special non-native trees occupies an important place here. On the agricultural land belonging to these estates, grain is grown organically and livestock is kept.
landscape
The highest elevation is 110 m above sea level and is only surpassed by the hills in the Netherlands South Limburg.
The north of the Veluwezoom is the wildest part. The Imbos, Schaddevelden, Eerbeekse Veld and ‘t Asselt forests were once planted as a production forest. The owner of the area, the conservation foundation Natural monuments does as little as possible here, so that the forest transforms itself into a more natural one. The consequences of this "doing nothing" are already visible in ‘t Asselt. You think you are in a jungle because of the ferns at human height. In the forests of Schaddevelden, Onzalige Bossen, Hagenau and Eerbeekse Veld you can easily follow the various hiking trails.
There are some large heather areas in the Veluwezoom National Park: the Rheder- and Worth-Rhederheide, the Beekhuizense Heide and the Herikhuizerveld.
- Estates
In the south of the Veluwezoom National Park, "Natuurmonumenten" does most of the work. The architecture of the estate gardens will be maintained and the buildings restored as necessary. In this way, the character of the Rhederoord, Beekhuizen and Heuven estates is retained.
- Viewpoints
There are various viewpoints in the nature reserve. The Posbank is one of the most visited places on the Veluwezoom. On the edge of the former agricultural enclave of Herikhuizen is the Herikhuizen nature observation post. This is accessible for wheelchair users. Another vantage point is on the Elsberg. The deer rut can be observed there in September and October.
- Posbank
One of the most beautiful heathlands is that Herikhuizer Heath, better known by the name Posbank. Icelandic ponies graze here so that the heather is not overgrown by grass. The landscape is un-Dutch spectacular. The landscape drops (slowly) from a height of almost 100 m to merge into the valley of the IJssel. An interplay of depth and space. This experience made Posbank a regular destination for school trips for many decades.
Dogs are allowed to run free on the Rozendaalseveld. The fire alarm tower (34 m) can be freely climbed up to the first platform. If you want to go higher, inquire at the VVV in Rheden (026-4953050).
- Empense Tondense Heath
This area consists of heather, swamp, forest and barren grassland. In the latter, special plants grow and many grazing birds live.
Hall, Voorstondensestraat. Tel: 035-6559911. Natural monuments. Open every day all year round. Admission is free.
- Flock of sheep Rheden
Since 1956, a herd of Veluwe heather sheep has lived in the listed old sheepfold on the Heuven estate, north of the village of Rheden. From here the shepherd moves daily with his flock to the heath, as in the past. With this centuries-old tradition, this contributes to the maintenance of these natural areas. Visitors are welcome to visit the flock and the sheepfold. The traditional sheep shearers festival on the 3rd Saturday in June starts early in the morning when the shepherd and his flock move into the village. The mayor of Rheden officially hands over the scissors for the shearing, the signal for shepherds and shearers to start their work sounds. The whole center of the village celebrates on this day. The commercial street is then a market with music, dancing and old handicraft demonstrations.
Rheden, Heuvenseweg 11a. schaapskudde. Open every day all year round. Admission is free.
Flora and fauna
The flora of the Veluwezoom is mainly determined by the type of soil and how it was handled in the past. Common heather, bell heather, gorse and broom grow on the heather. In the ancient forests of 't Asselt and the Uncommon bosses A great number of bracken grows under common oaks and birches. On the nutrient-poor sandy soil on the Imbosch, the forest floor is mainly covered with blueberries and lingonberries, while under the pines of the Eerbeeksche veld and the Schaddevelden, the blueberry alternates with the wire smear. In the forests on the more nutrient-rich loess in the south and east of the park, birch, oak and non-native tree species such as spruce, larch, Douglas fir and sweet chestnut grow. These trees can sometimes reach a height of over 50 m. Especially under the beech forests and avenues of beech, which are common in greed, the ground is often devoid of any vegetation. Finally, in the valley of the Beekhuizense beek (B. Bach), there are particularly typical plants such as opposed-leaved milkweed.
In the most nutrient-poor places on the Veluwe, the vegetation cover was quickly torn apart and in some places extensive sand drifts emerged, which have become famous as our "Atlantic Deserts" and have a completely independent flora and (insect) fauna. Only the relatively small Rozendaalse zand is preserved in the Veluwezoom. In 2009, 17 hectares of forest were cut down there to give the wind free rein.
Large mammals such as red deer, fallow deer, roe deer and wild boar and predators such as foxes, badgers, ermines and the rare pine marten live in the Veluwezoom National Park. Most of the bird species in the forests and heather fields are well represented. Including (fairly) rare ones such as kingfisher, tree hawk, honey buzzard, raven, goat milker, stonechat, skylark, green woodpecker, black woodpecker and in winter the northern gray shrike. Six of the seven reptile species native to the Netherlands are found in the park: adder, smooth snake, grass snake, slow worm, sand lizard and forest lizard.
climate
Veluwezoom visitor center
The visitor center is located on Heuvenseweg 5a in Rheden. The Brasserie "De Veluwezoom" and a VVV with bicycle rental as well as the Veluwetransferium (hiking car park) Posbank can be found in the same place. The Veluwezoom visitor center is open Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Mondays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the school holidays. Admission is free. Tel: 026-4979100 The visitor center is the meeting point for numerous hikes, excursions and other activities for young and old. The IVN's natural garden and a beehive are located next to the visitor center.
getting there
Public Transport: The visitor center is 16 minutes away from the Nazi station in Rheden. This station is on the route Arnhem - Zutphen and is served every half hour by a local train. Of Apeldoorn the bus line goes from Veolia 43s after Arnhem. Get off at the "Groenestraat" stop in Rheden. More information at ov9292.
Automobile: Rheden is on the A 348 / N 348 (Arnhem-Ellecom / Zutphen) and has exit number 2.
