The old land of Zeeland

Poldering began as early as the 11th century in the Netherlands. This initiative came from the Flemish Abbeys that began building dikes in Zeeland and draining land. Slowly, the islands grew larger through poldering. The Oudland of Zeeland is an example of a polder area. After a storm surge in 1134, the old land was completely surrounded by dikes, incorporating older dikes and dams into the ring dike. This complicated the drainage of the pools enclosed by ridges. This problem was partially solved by means of waterways, locks, and drainage systems. Much of the past can still be found in the contemporary landscape. The "hilly relief" is a reminder of the peat extraction in these areas. The enclosed area of the creek ridges and transitional soils is still used as arable land. In the Oudland, higher creek ridges alternate with lower pool areas.

Dromos