Eternity wood

The Eeuwenhout is located on a slope in the valley of the Douvebeek between the centers of Loker and Dranouter. The elevation varies between 45 and 75 meters. Until shortly after World War II, the Eeuwenhout was a forest of 20 hectares. With the exception of 22 ares of OCMW forest, the trees were removed after World War II and converted into agricultural land.

The entire area was purchased in 1980 by a property developer with the intention of building a bungalow park here. After a negative opinion from the municipality and the urban planning department, this land was largely sold to the Flemish Government at the end of the 1980s.

In 1991, 9 hectares of the Eeuwenhout were reforested. A third was seeded with acorns using a potato planting machine, the rest was planted in a block pattern of pedunculate oak, sweet cherry, winter lime, hornbeam, and common ash. The small forest was finally surrounded by a wide belt of shrubs. A first thinning has also taken place. In this way, a beautiful mixed broadleaf forest with quality timber is being created here.

Agentschap voor Natuur en Bos