The Rottige Meente, located in the southeast of Friesland, is a unique and valuable nature reserve with a rich history and great significance for biodiversity. The area mainly consists of marshland and peat bogs and covers approximately 1,000 hectares.
The history of the Rottige Meente goes back a long way. The area was originally formed by peat formation, a process in which plant material in a wet environment slowly transformed into peat. During the Middle Ages and the centuries that followed, peat was extensively extracted, leading to large-scale peat cutting and the creation of a landscape with many lakes, ditches, and peat pits.
In the 19th and 20th centuries, the area was reclaimed and partly cultivated. Polders were created, and parts of the peatland were drained for agriculture. However, by the second half of the 20th century, the ecological value and vulnerability of the area were increasingly recognized, leading to measures to prevent further reclamation and dehydration.
Today, the Rottige Meente is an important nature reserve managed by Staatsbosbeheer. The area has great ecological value due to the diversity of habitats, including wet grasslands, reed beds, marshes, and open water. This variety of biotopes supports rich biodiversity.
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