Bank Gulke Putten - Veldkapelstraat - Wingene

Between Beernem and Ruiselede, the four high masts of the Wingene Transmitter Station are a well-known feature in the landscape. The fact that a wealth of wild plants and animals lives under it is less known to many in the region. This heath relic, heritage from the past, is more than worth preserving and cherishing for the future.

The Gulke Putten nature reserve is located on the southern border of what was once the historic Bulskampveld. This stretched between Ghent and Bruges and was the largest heath area in the County of Flanders. The term 'field' referred to the uninhabited, wastelands. Heather vegetation and sparse grasslands were found on these sandy soils. From the 15th century, forests were planted in the peripheral zones.

Willem Vandenameele