Nature-friendly banks

A nature-friendly bank (nvo) is a gradually sloping transition from land to water, where aquatic plants and animals thrive. We mow nature-friendly banks in phases, leaving a lot of vegetation in place. These banks consist of wet, wide, shallow zones with plants protruding above and below the water. The wider this zone from open water to dry embankment, the higher the biodiversity. Nature-friendly banks form 'the home of fish' and if this is in order, other species such as water insects and amphibians will follow naturally. Fish can lay their eggs on the plants and it is a place where young fish can hide from predators such as pike. The drier (reed) zone forms 'the home of birds and small (mammalian) animals'. In the spring, perennial reeds are needed for nest building by reed warblers, among others.

Reeds used to be seen primarily as bank protection. They still serve this purpose today. But nowadays, we also see reed banks as habitats for many plants and animals. They are also known as 'ecological connection zones' and connect areas with each other, allowing animals to search for other habitats and breeding grounds. We manage and maintain 1,200 kilometre . We carry out maintenance in phases, mowing approximately one third of the total area each year.