Pommelsven heath reserve

Pommelsven is a remnant of the once 'Great Heath' between Keerbergen and Tremelo. The area is of exceptional value because they are the last witnesses of the original and typical heath fauna and flora. Under the impulse of Natuurpunt, it was purchased by the municipality in 1984. In 2000 it was protected as a landscape by a ministerial decree of the Flemish Community. Finally, in 2005, it was recognized as a nature reserve.

Pommelsven is occupied for 2/3rd by pine forest. The lowest part in the heathland is a wet, peaty-sandy depression with strongly fluctuating water levels. Eye-catchers are heath and the rare bell gentian (protected). You can find them in the central humid part of this heathland where mainly pipe straw grows. Bell gentian grows on wet sandy, loamy and peaty soils. In Flanders, wet heath is the type of vegetation in which the species can be found most often. The wet heath core with heath is enclosed by a belt of drier heath in which the shrub heath dominates. Dozens of species of solitary bees and solitary wasps live here. Typical are heath bee, heath sand bee, various bumblebee species and numerous digging wasps.

On the higher sandy soils is Scots pine accompanied by pedunculate oak, sporkewood, mountain ash and rough birch. In the glades, shrubs and associated lichens thrive. In the forest you will mainly find Scots pine.

Management measures consist of mowing, weeding and removing tree storage. In addition, typical small heath sheep have been grazing there since 2011, which also increase the historical landscape value. The municipality owns the area and Natuurpunt takes care of the management.

Bart Denayer