More herbs, hedges and birds in The Maasheggen

More herbs, more hedges, more species of birds and twice as many bird roosts. These are the results of what the Collective Delta Landscape Plan has recently done in De Maasheggen. The Collective is a group of some forty enthusiastic farmers and other participants who work every day to increase biodiversity in De Maasheggen. This is how De Maasheggen is becoming even more beautiful, step by step!

More herbs
Collective Deltaplan Landscape, among other things, creates herb-rich strips along meadows. If, for example, it appears that fewer species occur in the grass at a certain spot than the collective would like, a well-rooted herb mat is sown. To prevent the grass from becoming too dominant, members of the collective first turn over the turf and then sow in the native herbs. This approach has proven successful, as this method has already provided many herbs at many locations in De Maasheggen, a total of five acres. These herbs in turn attract numerous insects and birds. Also, in times of drought, the herbs act as a sponge and can retain water for weeks.

More hedges
The Maas hedge landscape has also been enriched with new lengths of hedges. In the past two years, 3 kilometers of hawthorn hedges have been planted in locations where hedges also used to stand. Thanks to the collective's planting actions, often centuries-old hedge patterns have been restored.
The gaps created in the hedges over the years have largely (1 kilometer) been refilled with native hawthorn. A more continuous network not only makes the landscape of De Maasheggen more beautiful, but the continuous connections between hedges are also important for badgers, weasels, martens and birds, among others.

More species of birds
In 2018, some farmers came up with the Meuse Hedge Bird Field, a new way to get more biodiversity. It is a field with alfalfa and a strip where birds like to shelter and find food.
The bird fields turn out to be a walhalla for many bird species. These bird fields have also been counted for two years by enumerators from SOVON. One of them reported that he has never seen so many ring sparrows in his life as in the bird field in Beugen. The attraction of the bird fields for birds continues: every year many sparrows, finches, buntings and other small and large bird species discover the fields. Especially striking is the multitude of species that benefit from it. Even partridges can be found in the fields.

Twice as many bird acres
Members of the collective are busy taking the next steps. The number of bird acres has doubled from last year. No doubt that will also mean even more birds and species coming to the area.

New field complex
The summer mortar is having a hard time in the Netherlands. This shy bird still bravely breeds with a few pairs in De Maasheggen but lacks the grain fields necessary for them. Therefore, a field complex is now under construction in Sint Agatha and Vierlingsbeek with a mosaic of bird fields, winter food fields and grain fields with an extended grain stubble. This is expected to not only boost biodiversity, but thus hopefully also give the summer thrushes a boost.

Want to know more about Collective Delta Landscape Plan? Visit www.collectiefdeltaplan.nl

The photos accompanying this article were taken by Lars van Peij (Collective Delta Plan Landscape).