Summer dike, winter dike, channel, floodplain ... who remembers their geography lessons? Anyone who wants to see that dry theory come to life should not miss a visit to the Struikwaard. In this nature reserve along the Afgedamde Maas near Giessen you can admire the summer and winter dike, walk through the floodplains and enjoy a special piece of nature in Biesbosch Line.
The floodplains between Giessen and Andel are described early on: in a court document from 1296 the area already appears. But for the Struikwaard as we know it today, we do not have to go so far back in history.
In 1904, the Merwede, Rhine and Waal rivers were separated from the Meuse after centuries of increasing flooding. The Meuse was given a new mouth by digging the Bergsche Maas. The original "Andelsche" or "New" Meuse received a dam and has since been known as the Afgedamde Maas.
Since then, the Struikwaard has been used as farmland for many years. In 1995, the Struikwaard underwent one more major change. The old winter dike was no longer sufficient. Therefore, a new one was constructed about 100 meters to the northeast. The new outer dike area was designated a nature conservation area.
The outer dike area in the Struikwaard is a young conservation area managed by Brabants Landschap. You'll find riparian forests (forest that grew naturally along rivers), reed beds, grasslands and a swamp zone at the bottom of the summer dike. Don't be surprised if you hear mooing: a small herd of Brand red cattle graze the area.
Since 2013, the Struikwaard has been working hard to give the partridge a better home. The partridge is seriously threatened in the Netherlands. Wooded banks, hedges, branch rills and flowering herbs have been supplanted by monotonous arable fields. As a result, the partridge is losing both its food supply and its breeding grounds. In the Struikwaard these landscape elements are being restored, and with success. The population is increasing rapidly, and there is a good chance that you will encounter one. Partridges have an inconspicuous brown camouflage color, so keep a sharp lookout!
Although there are no partridges in them, the pear trees along the Kerkepad in Giessen deserve attention. The Pear Tree Lane probably once originated as a path to cut the road from dike to church. The lane has been restored to its former glory. Especially in spring, the path is worth a visit for a walk among the pear blossoms. The lane is a municipal monument, the only unbuilt object that has that status in the municipality of Altena.
In the New Dutch Waterline you will find the Struikwaard: a beautiful piece of nature on the banks of the Afgedamde Maas. Do you like walking in nature and are you curious about the heritage of the New Dutch Waterline in the Altena region? Then walk our'Rondje Fort Giessen'.
Along the way, enjoy all the beauty the Biesbosch Line has to offer: peace, space, nature and heritage.
The bank swallow also finds a good home in the Struikwaard. On the bank of one of the ponds in the area, conservation society Altenatuur has built a concrete swallow wall. Steep banks along rivers and ponds have become rare in the Netherlands. As a result, the bank swallow has lost its nesting place. It builds its nest by digging a "hole" in steep banks. The concrete wall with holes gives the animal a hand. The wall holds an embankment of sand and clay in place. The holes are the front doors; the swallows are allowed to decorate their homes themselves. And the "apartment building" pleases them. Up to 80 breeding pairs have been counted during breeding seasons.
The wall proves attractive not only to swallows, but kingfishers also occasionally nest there.
In November 2020, the dike was awarded a prize at Struikwaard: the dike is "the paragon of biodiversity in the river landscape. Brabants Landschap manages the dike as part of the nature in the Struikwaard. That means flower-rich verges with great biodiversity: plants such as bee orchid and nodding thistle and insects such as the red-black double-toothed and the dark wasp bee. And in addition to all the benefits for nature, such a flowered dike is also pleasing to the eye.
Beavers are doing well in Altena. In Struikwaard live some very stubborn specimens: for years they occupied a footbridge with their lodge. In the meantime, the family has sought other shelter, but beavers are still very active in the area. Watch carefully for gnawing tracks while hiking. And should you be lucky enough to spot a beaver: enjoy it but leave it alone, and stay at a considerable distance. You are a guest in its habitat.
