Reed banks and exotics

Reed Banks

Reed used to be seen primarily as bank protection. It still has this task. But nowadays we also see reed banks as habitats for many plants and animals. They are also so-called 'ecological connecting zones' and connect areas with each other, allowing animals to look for other places to live and breed. We manage and maintain 1,200 kilometers of reed banks. We do the maintenance in phases, mowing about a third of the total each year.

Reed protects the banks of roads and dikes. If it is necessary for circulation, we make the reed beds narrower so that water has more room. If not, we leave reed as much as possible and manage it in a way that benefits water quality and ecology.

Invasive Exotics

More and more we are encountering exotic (aquatic) plants. These are plants that do not naturally occur in our country and feel very much at home in our environment. For example, the Large Water Pennywort. Exotics grow quickly and displace "native" vegetation and are therefore bad for biodiversity. Because they can grow explosively, they can also impede water supply and drainage. You can help us by not releasing plants from your pond into the ditch.

For more information, see the Invasive Exotics page.