Armed with shovels and thick protective gloves, volunteers in the Natural Beauty Forest in Nietap battle the blackberry, which threatens to overgrow everything.
The Natural Beauty Forest between Leek, Nietap and Roden is known for the white wood anemone, which transforms a large part of the forest into a fairytale white carpet in the spring.
The flower is even the logo of Natuurschoon Nietap, the volunteer association that owns and maintains the forest. Until about five years ago, the cute little flower blossomed undisturbed every year in March.
New enemy
Until a new enemy appeared: blackberry bushes. And not a few, but a lot. If they are not kept in check, they will overrun everything. The blackberry explosion is of no use to anyone, the bushes hardly bear any fruit.
The problem is not unique to Nietap, says secretary David Brouwer of Natuurschoon. In the summer, volunteers with large brush cutters keep the hiking trails clear every week.
Unstarted work
Now, wrapped in work overalls and with a dozen volunteers from Natuurschoon and IVN Westerkwartier, he is making a valiant attempt to clear the entrance of the forest from burrs. “Actually, it is impossible,” he sighs.
This morning the team focuses on the blackberries around the historic stream Zwarthe Ryth. You don’t notice it anymore, but peat used to be drained through this water.
Room for wood anemone
“It has a certain historical value and, moreover, this part of the forest is clearly visible to many people. The effect of our work is therefore clearly visible, says the resident of Nietap.
The work must be done now. When warm weeks arrive, the wood anemone may already flower in two weeks. But if the blackberry bushes are left standing, the vulnerable vegetation doesn’t stand a chance, Herman de Meijer knows.
Nitrogen
The retired gardener is secretary at the Westerkwartier nature organization and took the initiative for the blackberry eradication morning. The culprit of the burr problem? Nitrogen, without a doubt. “The blackberry benefits enormously from this. Just like nettle and thistle.”
IVN often uses the Natural Beauty Forest and members saw during an excursion that it was getting worse with the blackberries, that’s why. The five volunteers from IVN and the five from Natuurschoon now work together as brothers.
Ouch!
The best tactic according to De Meijer? “Look at infinity and just do it,” says De Meijer. Sticking out the roots is not difficult, but it is a rotten job – the blackberry branches are full of thorns. ‘Ouch!’, sounds from time to time between the greenery.
You can’t completely eradicate the blackberry. But the men notice that blackberries growing on the pieces they tackled last year come out of the ground a lot easier.
Satisfying
After an hour and a half of hard work in a watery spring sun, it’s time for coffee and cake – provided by volunteer Siny Smit. “It’s lousy work, but I thought: I can’t saddle the rest with it,” says Nature Beauty volunteer Rolf Weuring from Roden.
“Apparently the rest didn’t think that way, because there are far fewer of us than usual,” he says with a laugh. “Ah,” responds Bé van der Veen from Leek. “It is rewarding work. You can clearly see what you have done.”