Work Staatsbosbeheer in Oeffelter Meent

To increase the habitat of the crested newt, Staatsbosbeheer has constructed five new pools and improved a number of existing pools in the Oeffelter Meent. With success; last summer the first crested newts were seen in one of the new pools.

During the enlargement of one of the existing pools, garbage was found. The garbage came from a former dump at the edge of the pool. After the discovery, Staatsbosbeheer immediately cordoned off the pool and removed the exposed garbage.Subsequently, there was contact with the municipality Land van Cuijk, the province of North Brabant, Rijkswaterstaat and the Environmental Service. Research has shown that there is no danger to public health. However, Rijkswaterstaat does advise that the dirt be properly covered again. Therefore, Staatsbosbeheer will apply a 50-centimeter layer of soil along the edge of the pool in early October so that the dirt dump(see yellow circle in photo) is safely sealed again. As a result, the pool enlarged in the spring of 2023 will be slightly smaller again. In order not to disturb the crested newt, the work will be carried out in autumn. The crested newt is then on land and not in the pools.

The work will be carried out in the first 2 weeks of October.
To accommodate the sand at the site, driving plates will be laid from the Rows to the pool. At two other locations in the Oeffelter Meent, grids and gates will be replaced and new hedges planted during the same period(the orange circles in the photo).

Questions about this work? Send an email to noordoostbrabant@staatsbosbeheer.nl.