Around the new Diepstroeten district in Assen, the Drentse Landschap Foundation has purchased twenty hectares of nature reserve from the Vanoeijen care institution. Forest ranger Bertil Zoer shows the new acquisition close to the provincial capital.
“Vanoeijen was still on this site, but most of the residents have been spread over Assen and the surrounding area within the framework of new policy. The area that the care institution created for residents in the past was therefore freed up and had somewhat less function,” explains Zoer. . “They wanted to give that a good destination and then entered into a conversation with us.”
Nature in the city
“Originally, the nature reserve that was located here was called Diepstroeten, which is the upper course of the Anreperdiepje and therefore part of the Drentsche Aa. That is why it is logical that we as a nature management body look at it, even if it is located in the city,” says Zoer . Another part of the new addition, a nine-hectare forest area, has been artificially laid out but also has special natural values.