In collaboration with
Omroep Brabant
NOS News•yesterday, 12:01 PM
The Markiezaatsmeer gets more places where birds can breed safely. In the coming years there will be seven artificial islands in the water near Bergen op Zoom, where birds can seek refuge.
The Markiezaatsmeer is one of the richest breeding areas in the Netherlands. But more and more bird species have disappeared in recent years.
“Birds miss safe and suitable breeding areas,” tells forest ranger Erik de Jonge to Omroep Brabant. Since the 1980s, the lake has been closed off the sea by the Delta Works. “The sandbanks that were previously formed by the tidal operation in the Oosterschelde have disappeared,” said De Jonge.
released sand
And so birds such as the Kluut, spoonbill and beach area have a hard time. Research shows that these species can be preserved by installing artificial islands in the Markiezaatsmeer.
That will happen in the coming years. “We make a lot of suitable breeding area with spraying the islands,” says De Jonge. “There will then be a very large group of birds that needs the nature reserve to survive.”
The islands can be laid thanks to work by Brabants Landschap in nature reserve De Molenplaat, right next to the lake. A number of puddles are dug there. At the initiative of De Jonge, the sand that is released thereby is used to construct the islands in the Markiezaatsmeer.
The work must start next year. It is intended that the birds can settle in their new breeding area from 2028. Eight million euros is available for the project.
Weir
More is happening to restore the nature of the Markiezaatsmeer. For example, a new weir was opened last month for better water level management. As a result, breeding grounds must remain dry in the spring, and more water can be retained in the winter.
Moreover, the weir can prevent the new islands from being accessible to predators during the breeding period of birds.
