Fallen forest giant amid a carpet of moss.

by Jan van der Vlies

Fallen forest giant around a carpet of moss in the pine forest.

Dorst forestry in North Brabant

Boswachterij Dorst is a vast nature reserve of about 1,117 hectares, managed by Staatsbosbeheer, and located in the Barony of Breda between the towns of Rijen, Oosterhout, Teteringen and Dorst in North Brabant. It borders the cities of Breda, Oosterhout and Tilburg, forming a green lung in an increasingly urbanised area. Once created as a production forest with Scots pines on former heathland (such as the Seterse Heide), it has now been transformed into a park-like recreational area with varied landscapes, designed by landscape architect Berno Strootman. Ideal for walkers, cyclists and nature lovers, it offers a mix of forests, fens and open fields.

History and development
The forest was created in the 19th century when heathland and sand drift areas were planted with softwood for timber production. Between 1900 and 1934, the area was drained and partly converted to grassland. The Forestry Commission transformed the area into an accessible park with five different landscapes: from dense forests to open heathland-like areas. There used to be clay pits for brickworks in Dorst and Rijen, and remnants of old sand drifts are still visible.

Nature and landscape
The area is characterised by coarse pine forests, but also deciduous woodland, fens, loam pits and managed sand drifts. You will find grazing Galloway cattle, which keep the landscape open, and various birds such as long-eared owls. It is a habitat for insects, birds and wildflowers, with a focus on biodiversity by returning old wetlands to nature.