A flock of sheep from Schapenfokkerij Kwakelbont grazes from the end of March as a standard during the grazing season at Maaslandse Bos.

Staatsbosheer and sheep farming conducted an experiment last year at Maaslandse Bos with sheep grazing a plot of land. It seems that everyone involved is satisfied with the sheep in the forest. The fauna now has a permanent space on the Maaslandse Bos plot during the grazing season. This runs from the end of March to the end of October.

Then the sheep arrive, because the Forest Service is no longer allocating money to upkeep the plot, says forest keeper Lisa Wassenaar. She explains that green spaces that aren’t maintained will start to smell in the summer. The locals don’t feel that way. That is why they come up with various ideas to come up with a solution. One suggestion was to place a flock of sheep.

Al-Haraj is happy with the solution. “If the idea of ​​a sheep flock had not been implemented, we would have chosen a different solution. But I am now looking forward to having sheep and possibly lambs as well in Maaslandse Bos.”

Cor Sonneveld from Kwakelbont sheep farm brings ten to fifteen of his hundred sheep to Maasland. Sonneveld also puts two ewes with a lamb in the flock. “People approached me and asked if I wanted to let the sheep graze there. It’s a nice place, the neighborhood supports the idea and the people are attentive. I think this is a positive thing. The biggest danger is dogs. That’s why I wanted to do the test first. We’ll see how it works later,” he says. At some point you just have to start. ”

Measures

Member states take measures for the arrival of the herd from the beginning of March. The makeshift net around the lawn of the large tree will soon become a permanent fence. The original plan was to start this work next week, but the frosts made the ground very difficult to push the poles into the ground.

Since sheep and dogs are naturally predators, the Forest Service also imposes a permanent requirement on the leash. The sheep runs automatically when the dog is nearby. A dog initially sees this as a game. He chases with all the possible consequences.

The handlebar requirement applies to lawn south of Boumare Street and is necessary because fencing all lawn is undesirable according to Staatsb Glosbe. The lawns around the tree’s meadow are temporarily fenced off by an electrical grid. The jungle area remains a dog free zone. This allows dog owners in the residential area to have plenty of space to walk their dogs.