Mantingerveld - Mantinge

For more than 25 years, Natuurmonumenten has been working on merging four small nature reserves north of Hoogeveen into a large interconnected heath landscape: the Mantingerveld. For centuries, this part of Drenthe consisted of heathland, raised bog and fens. Intensive land consolidation in 1960 left little of this landscape. Plants and animals were pushed back into small natural areas, such as Mantingerzand, Hullenzand, Lentsche Veen and Martensplek. Now it is once again possible to take lovely walks through this authentic Drenthe landscape. There is also plenty to enjoy by bike or on horseback.

Cycling through the beautiful sand dunes and heathlands, you can hardly imagine that this area was still arable and pasture land in the late 1990s. Thanks to the efforts of nature management, this has once again become a nature area as it was for centuries: full of heathland, raised bog, juniper bushes and fens.

By linking the nature reserves, there is room for plants and animals again. The fens are inhabited by the moor frog and the viviparous lizard, the pools are home to ring snakes and dragonflies. Birds such as the curlew, kestrel and the yellowhammer with its beautiful song feel at home here.

Heather cows graze on the heathland, as well as sheep, 'normal' cows and shetland ponies from the Agrarische Natuur Vereniging. Each species has its own menu, which is good for the different plants.

Photo: ©Andries de la Lande Cremer