Border Park De Kempen

The Kempen is a wooded nature area of over 2000 hectares in the Dutch part of the region of the same name, De Kempen, along the Dutch-Belgian border.

The most important part is formed by Forest Ranger's Office De Kempen, an area of 1087 hectares owned by Staatsbosbeheer. Forest Ranger's Office De Kempen is located in the North Brabant municipalities of Eersel, Bladel, and Reusel-De Mierden. It is part of a much larger complex of extraction forests (8000 hectares) that extends across the Dutch province of North Brabant and the Belgian province of Antwerp. This area is referred to as Border Park De Kempen.

Forest Ranger's Office De Kempen was previously known as Forest Ranger's Office Hapert. It is largely composed of coniferous trees with lanes lined by American oaks, which are home to the black woodpecker among other species. There is also a remaining heathland area of 75 hectares known as Hapertse Heide. It is a remnant of the extensive heath fields in the border area of the Netherlands and Belgium that were largely reforested in the early 20th century. The Hapertse Heide adjoins the Cartierheide, which was owned by Natuurmonumenten but is now managed by Staatsbosbeheer. The estate Pals also belongs to this area.

The area connects in the northeast to the Cartierheide, in the west to the extraction forests Kroonvense Heide and Peelse Heide, in the west to the Grootbos near Postel, and in the south to a mosaic of agricultural clearings and extraction forests.

Although it is a relatively elevated cover sand area, with heights rising to 36 meters above sea level, there are some moist parts. This is because the area is traversed by the upper reaches of the Groote Beerze, which is called Aa or Goorloop here. Some marshy areas lie here, such as the area De Goorloop with bog myrtle thickets and swamp forests, and some former agricultural enclaves where nature development is taking place and where, among other species, marsh marigold, pilwort, spotted orchid, and various sedge species can be found. Ground star can also be found in the forests.

Efforts are also being made in the coniferous forests to increase diversity, which serves both nature and recreation.

The Kempen (nature area) - Wikipedia

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