Keelvenroute

Start; The route starts at the parking lot Natuurpoort Vennenhorst along the Provincial Road Someren-Heeze. Follow the signs for Keelvenroute.

Description; It is a scenic walk through a forest, heath, and pond area. The walk takes you through the nature development area Het Keelven. This originally nutrient-poor area Somerense Heide consisted of large expansive heath fields with marshy parts and several ponds. On this so-called wild land, farmers let their sheep graze. This helped maintain the heath. Since 1930, the heathland has been reclaimed and transformed into a production forest primarily planted with Scots Pine. This pine wood cracks before it breaks and was therefore highly sought after as support wood in the Dutch coal mines.

As the main function of timber production disappeared and the quality of the trees was generally very poor, the nature development project "Keelven and surroundings" started in 1998. The aim was to make the Keelven area more recreationally attractive and to transform it back to the situation as it used to be: a large heath area with ponds. To achieve this, about 15 hectares of poorly growing coniferous wood was felled. To make the open space more appealing, the existing relief (former ponds) was utilized in this area. Additionally, several smaller ponds have been dredged. The new ponds consist of open water and a wide natural bank with a temporary wet zone where pond and wet heath vegetation can develop. In the past, natural ponds formed through sand blowing after the last ice age. They could retain water thanks to an impermeable layer in the subsoil. This area is home to as many as 75 species of moss. Two of them, Ruigen Zandhaarmos, are true pioneer plants. These plants are only found in sandy spots or along forest paths. The small sea-green plants hold the sand in place, allowing other plants to germinate. The female plants have a stalk in the spring with a spore capsule on it. The male plants are adorned with beautiful orange-red rosettes. The management of the area aims to integrate nature, wood experience, and timber production through integrated forest management; the management of forests with both hardwood and softwood, young trees and mature trees, shrub vegetation, windfall trunks, clearings, and dead wood.

The heath will also need to be managed. One problem is the Pijpenstrootje. The long, uniform stems of this grass species were once used to make small clay pipes and to keep the stem open. Beekeepers used the long, flexible stems to make beehives. The Pijpenstrootje can expand rapidly in a short time. The plant forms dense clumps that keep getting taller. Other plants are thus overgrown. Mowing and grazing by ponies and Highland cattle should counteract the overgrowing of the area. Dragonflies are certainly not a rarity around the ponds. They are absolutely not dangerous. They have no stinger or sting apparatus. Masses of flies and mosquitoes are consumed by dragonflies. The eggs are laid in the water. Nearby trees provide shelter for them during wind and rain. The larvae of the dragonflies that live in the water are hunters that particularly love tadpoles (dikkopjes).