Knoteiken on Waverdijkstraat

Nowhere in Flanders are there as many pollard oaks (Quercus robur) as in the Hageland and Zuiderkempen. We likely owe this to the pea cultivation that gained great prominence in the region in the early 20th century. The demand for stake wood rose in proportion to the expansion of pea cultivation.

On the map of De Ferraris, we see that the plots are not very large, usually about 2 hectares, and surrounded by woodland. From the late Middle Ages, the three-year crop rotation fell out of use. New, more complex crop rotation systems emerged in its place, which allowed for plenty of room for catch crops and fodder crops. These changes led to a restructuring of the medieval open fields in many regions. The long and narrow strips were combined into larger plots and surrounded by hedges or wood edges. As a result, many an open field landscape gradually transformed into a closed hedged landscape.

The woodlands provided protection in spring against dry winds and frost. The ditches collected the water that drained from the fields. The coppice was cut every 5 to 6 years to prevent it from growing too tall. The most commonly planted species were oaks, beeches, birches, poplars, and hazels. Just like in the south of the province of Antwerp, many pollard oaks were found here. In the north of the Hageland, the fields were surrounded by an earthen bank, which was provided with a 'tuyn' or planted with a thorn hedge.

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