Glacis of Ertbrugge

A ‘glacis’ is a special transition between a higher and lower area, in this case between the Scheldt valley and the sandy Kempen. Although the landscape gives a fairly flat impression, there is a gentle slope here that rises a few meters towards Schoten. The transition is formed by old moving sand dunes. Moving sand dunes are usually excavated or flattened in Flanders. Remaining dunes are rather rare in this region and can almost exclusively be found in the Kempen. The moving sand dunes at Bremweide have gradually faded over the centuries due to the development of grasslands and forest fragments. The dry substrate and a few gentle undulations still hint at the former dunes. The lands around Ertbrugge have been acquired by the Flemish government, and there is a project underway to transform the meadows into more species-rich habitats. Connecting the different forest fragments is also being pursued. After all, these forests are among the oldest in the area and include many ancient forest plants such as Solomon's seal and wood melick.

Groenplan Stad Antwerpen