Utrechtse Heuvelrug National Park

Geschiedenis

Utrechtse Heuvelrug National Park is a national park in the Dutch province of Utrecht. When it was founded in 2003, the park covered 6000ha of heathlands, shifting sands, forests, grass lands and floodplains. In 2013 the park was extended to 10000ha, adding the area north of highway A12 when the ecoduct Mollebos was realized. The most striking landscape feature is the glacial ridge after which the park is named.Landscape and historyThe landscape of the park dates from the next-to-last ice age, Saalien. Afterwards the land was reshaped by the drifting sands, the rivers and the effects of human occupation. Intensive land use, reforestation and the building of country estates transformed the appearance of the Utrechtse Heuvelrug over the centuries. The history of the region is reflected in the wide variety of soil types, relief and land use.Flora and faunaThe Utrechtse Heuvelrug is the second largest forest area in the Netherlands. In the forest some relics from the original post-glacial forests can be found, including oak and beech. In the park several marten species can be found, such as the European badger (Meles meles) and the European pine marten (Martes martes). There are more than 100 bird species living in the park, among which the black woodpecker, the raven and the bluethroat. In the marshy region near Amerongen castle the little bittern is a rare species, as well as rare plants like sundew and marsh gentian. In addition, several amphibian, reptile, bat, butterflies and dragonflies species are living in the region.

"Nationaal Park Utrechtse Heuvelrug is een eeuwenoud en kostbaar natuurgebied. Een geliefd gebied met prachtige groene woon-­ en werk­milieus. Een plek waar mensen tot rust komen en nieuwe energie krijgen. De Stichting Nationaal Park Utrechtse Heuvelrug zet zich in om samen met onze partners Nationaal Park Utrechtse Heuvelrug te behouden en verder te ontwikkelen: van provincie en gemeenten tot eigenaren van natuurgebieden, van groene vrijwilligers tot betrokken ondernemers: allemaal leveren ze een bijdrage aan natuur, landschap en erfgoed."