THE MAASDUINEN

In the northeast of Limburg lies De Maasduinen National Park. This area is home to the longest river dune belt in the Netherlands, which was created by the interplay of water, wind and man over the centuries.
River dunes were created in the last ice age (Weichselien). The land ice did not reach the Netherlands, but it was cold and dry. In the polar desert, there was no closed plant cover and the wind had free rein. When the wide and shallow riverbeds were dry, the sand could drift up into river dunes. The predominantly westerly winds carried the sand from the dry riverbeds and deposited it again to the east of it. This created the sand ridges and parabolic dunes.
Since prehistoric times, man has influenced nature in De Maasduinen. Forest was cut down to make room for farmland. In order to continue to use the soil, fertilization was necessary. For this purpose, sheep manure was mainly used in the area of De Maasduinen. Human activity (logging and overgrazing) has created heathland and shifting sands. Later, forests were planted again to capture the shifting sands and for the production of wood.

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