The Maasheggen, a cultural-historical landscape in the municipality of Land van Cuijk, has a chance to win a European prize. This was announced by the municipality on Monday evening. The centuries-old hedgerow landscape along the Maas is the Netherlands’ entry for the European Landscape Award 2026, a prestigious prize from the Council of Europe. It honors areas where nature, culture and people come together in a beautiful way.
The Maasheggen is the oldest cultural landscape in the Netherlands and has been on the UNESCO list of sod biosphere areas since 2018. These are areas with a special status where people and nature come together. For centuries, farmers fenced off their meadows with woven hedges. These hedges turned out to be not only useful as a barrier, but also good for plants, birds and insects.
The area has been renovated considerably in recent years. Ten kilometers of new hedges were added, ponds were created and farmers received help to work in a more nature-friendly way. The ancient craft of hedge weaving has also been revived, with even an annual Dutch championship.
Collaboration is special
The jury, which had to nominate a landscape for the prize on behalf of the Netherlands, praises the collaboration between residents, entrepreneurs and local organizations. “The strength lies in collaboration and the common goal. Step by step, we are working on improving the landscape quality and the connection with society,” the jury wrote.
The European Landscape Award, the prize that the nature reserve now has a chance to win, is a prestigious prize that has been awarded every two years by the Council of Europe since 2008. The prize recognizes and rewards efforts that contribute to the conservation and enhancement of landscapes in Europe.
Pride and excitement
The municipality is proud of the nomination. “It is great appreciation for everyone who is committed to the Maasheggen,” says Antoinette Maas, councilor for Sustainability, Nature and Mobility. “Together we show that caring for nature and the environment really pays off. Winning this award would be the icing on the cake!”
All European countries will nominate one project before the end of this year. All entries will be assessed in the spring of 2026. The winner will be announced at the end of 2026.