River region
The river region is a varied landscape around the large rivers (the two channels of the Rhine (Nederrijn and Waal), the Meuse and the IJssel) including their washlands, levees and backswamps. The regulation of the rivers and the mining of sand have led to the loss of characteristic elements such as swamp woodland and backwaters.
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Characteristics
The characteristic elements of the alluvial plain are river channels, backwaters and abandoned meanders, swamp woodland, hawthorn hedges, dikes, basins scoured out by dike breaches, and brick works. The higher-lying levees were the site of early settlements and were where orchards were planted. The low-lying basin areas used to flood regularly and were therefore difficult to access. Some basin areas functioned as emergency basins to store river overflow. The basin areas generally form an open landscape, in which osiers and duck decoys are occasionally found.
Trends
Since the 19th century engineers have attempted to control the river flow by building groynes, thereby improving the navigability and safety. As a result, since 1850 the area of softwood swamp woodland has decreased by 75% and very few backwaters remain (see figure). The area of orchards, one of the most typical landscape elements of the levees, fell dramatically in the second half of the 20th century: from 9% in 1950 to 3% in 1990.
Technical note
The data are from an analysis of the changes in the cultural landscape based on random samples from the 1x1 km grid squares of the 1:25 000 topographical map. The graphs have been indexed, using 1900 as the benchmark year (=100).
References
- Dijkstra, H., J.F. Coeterier, A. van der Haar, A.J.M. Koomen en W.L.C. Salden (1997). Veranderend cultuurlandschap. Signalering van landschapsveranderingen van 1900 tot 1990 voor de Natuurverkenning 1997. Rapport 544. DLO-Staring Centrum. Wageningen.
- Geertsema, W. (2002). Het belang van groenblauwe dooradering voor natuur en landschap. Achtergronddocument Natuurbalans 2002. Reeks 'Planbureau-werk in uitvoering', Werkdocument 2002/02. Natuurplanbureau/Alterra. Wageningen.
