De Balij (or the Balijbos) is a young forest between Zoetermeer, Pijnacker-Nootdorp and Delft, which consists of a natural forest, a swamp forest, walking and cycling paths and a play forest. There is also an urban farm on the edge of De Balij. Together with the Bieslandse Bos, De Balij forms a steadily growing piece of 'green lung' 15 kilometres long between Zoetermeer and Delft. De Balij is 360 hectares in size. The first trees were planted well before the Floriade 1992. This Floriade forest is the oldest part of De Balij. The forest is later expanded with beech, oak, ash and alder. Eighty hectares of De Balij are to be developed into a natural forest. Nature is allowed to take its own course here. In the middle of the natural forest there is a wild, open area that is maintained by Galloway cattle.
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