UNESCO biosphere status for the Maasheggen

A special recognition for the Maasheggengebied in the Northern Meuse Valley by UNESCO. The latter has designated the Brabant Maasheggen as a biosphere reserve. Biosphere reserves are areas with a special status where man and nature come together. The Maasheggen is the oldest cultural landscape in the Netherlands. It is characterized by the division of the landscape into a large number of small agricultural plots separated by hawthorn hedges. With this status award, the Maasheggen becomes part of a worldwide network of more than 650 UNESCO biosphere reserves. The Maasheggen is the only biosphere reserve in the Netherlands.

UNESCO biosphere reserve
In biosphere areas, the relationship between humans and their environment is central. "UNESCO biosphere reserves are not natural areas that humans should leave alone," says Andrée van Es, president of UNESCO Netherlands. "Instead, it is about finding ways for humans to coexist with nature." Central to this are science, culture and education. For example, scientists conduct research on biodiversity, water and sustainable agriculture, and local entrepreneurs market sustainable tourism. For schoolchildren, there is information about nature and environmental conservation, and local farmers produce organic regional products. "The UNESCO biosphere status offers opportunities to further sustainable development in the Maasheggen area together with residents, entrepreneurs, governments, organizations, schools and knowledge institutions," said van Es.

The Maasheggen
Maasheggen are a unique area according to UNESCO. There is no area in Europe where nature, landscape, economy and culture are so visibly and long-term intertwined. The Maasheggen are our most extensive hedge landscape where a mosaic of hedgerows, meadows, drinking pools and old pollarded trees have provided a safe home for a variety of plants and animals for centuries.

Despite their rich history, the Maasheggen is not a landscape that stands still: people work, live and recreate there. The area is the scene of all kinds of developments in terms of living, working, sustainable agriculture, nature development and room for the river. But history is also cherished. For example, every year thousands of residents and nature lovers watch teams participating in the NK Maasheggenvlechten. An age-old tradition in which they braid dozens of meters of hawthorn hedges.

Cooperation in the area
With support from the Postcode Lottery, in 2016 the Vereniging Nederlands Cultuurlandschap and the municipality of Boxmeer started the procedure to have the Maasheggen Landscape recognized by UNESCO. The UNESCO biosphere status for the Maasheggen is the result of a good cooperation between several organizations: municipality of Boxmeer, municipality of Cuijk, Staatsbosbeheer, Vereniging Nederlands Cultuurlandschap, Brabants Landschap, waterschap Aa en Maas, SlaBox, ZLTO and province of North Brabant.

For questions, please contact Diny van Vliet, cabinet secretary/communications advisor for the Municipality of Boxmeer (D.vanVliet@boxmeer.nl, 06-15 40 85 01 or 0485 58 57 66).