Bench Bos ter Rijst

With its numerous springs and its blue-purple carpet of wild hyacinth in spring, the Bos Ter Rijst is an unmissable pearl in a lesser-known corner of the Flemish Ardennes.

Bos Ter Rijst is elongated on the steep eastern flank along the upper reaches of the Molenbeek. Numerous springs in the forest feed the Molenbeek. In this cool and oxygen-rich spring water, the fire salamander with its black-yellow jacket finds a suitable place to deposit its larvae.

Until the 18th century this forest was managed as 'coppice and middle timber'. Every five to ten years, young trees and shrubs were cut down to the ground (coppice). From the remaining stump sprouted shoots or shoots. They were allowed to grow into the next haircut. Farmers used the harvested wood to make tools or pasture posts. In winter, this wood gave the house a cozy warmth.

In the bushes with coppice in Bos Ter Rijst 'overstanders' remained here and there (medium wood). These free-standing trees produced high-quality wood for the construction and furniture industry when they were ripe for felling.

Willem Vandenameele