Spontaneous nature along the way

An agricultural area such as here where fields and grasslands are interspersed with forest, pollard trees, ditches, pools and wide roadsides offers many wild plants and animals a chance to (over)live. Such points and lines in the landscape (or small landscape elements) are indispensable.
Roadsides in rural areas mainly have a landscape and ecological function. In Flanders, they even occupy a larger area than nature reserves. You will find at least 768 species of higher plants and 99 species of mosses and lichens. The rarest species occur on nutrient-poor roadside soils.
Through ecological roadside management, the aesthetic quality, biodiversity and rarity value of the road verge can improve. The Roadside Decree of 1984 prohibits the use of weed killers on roadsides and mowing before June 15. It obliges to dispose of the clippings within 10 days. After all, leaving it behind encourages molting, so that rough herbs such as large nettle, sticky herb, comfrey ... get too many opportunities. A second mowing is only allowed after September 15.
You can investigate for yourself whether this road verge has a high biodiversity and is ecologically valuable.
Count the number of different types of plants in this road verge over a length of 10 meters.
• 1 to 5 different plant species: species-poor
• 5 to 15 different plant species: average variation in species
• more than 15 different species: wide variety and therefore ecologically valuable

Departement Omgeving