Dozens of small trees saw the light of day for the first time two months ago in the Haagse Beemden in Breda. The intention was that they would grow together into a Forest of Life, but the place has now become more of a pool of life. A large part of the forest is under water. But according to the municipality, no one was overboard. “Some of the trees and shrubs actually do well in wet conditions,” a spokesperson explains.
In a few years, the ten-hectare site on the north side of Breda should have been turned into a forest where residents can walk and find peace. Anyone can buy a piece of land and plant a tree on it, as a reminder of special moments or loved ones.
The municipality, together with 132 donors, started the construction of the forest in November. In addition to saplings, walking paths and a viewpoint were also created. But anyone who is going to walk through the Levensbos would better take a pair of rain boots. A large part of the site is flooded.
“We have deliberately raised the walking paths.”
However, according to the municipality, there is no reason to worry. All that water had already been predicted. “It is true that the site is now under water. This has been taken into account in the design,” says a spokesperson. “We looked at the elevation and groundwater levels of the plot. That is why two types of forest are created. A wet forest on the lower parts and a moist forest on the higher parts.”
The tree and shrub species in the Bird Cherry Ash Forest do well in wet conditions. According to the municipality, the groundwater will disappear again in the spring. “Due to the high groundwater level on the plot, we have deliberately raised the walking paths by forty centimeters, so that in many cases people can continue to walk. A wet environment is therefore not immediately a major problem for Levensbos.”
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