Boelaremeersen

Boelaremeersen is a nature reserve in the Flemish Ardennes, in south-east Flanders, situated within the city of Geraardsbergen along the Dender river, between the sub-municipalities of Schendelbeke and Nederboelare. The reserve protects a wide stretch of wetland valley — meadows, alluvial forest, drainage ditches, reed fields and damp roughland — making it one of the more valuable natural pockets along the Dender.

What can you explore in Boelaremeersen?

The reserve's core experience is a marked walking trail roughly 6 kilometres long. It runs through the heart of the area, past wet roughland and valley forest, then crosses a block of species-rich grassland kept open through grazing. The return leg follows a higher cycling path, offering views over the large reed fields that dominate much of the valley floor. Because the terrain shifts between low, waterlogged ground and slightly elevated, drier stretches, a walk here touches several distinct habitat types within a fairly short loop.

What wildlife lives in the reserve?

Boelaremeersen is best known for its wetland birds. Among the most notable breeding species are the water rail, the bluethroat and the reed bunting, all closely tied to reed beds and wet meadows. Since 2016, white storks have also nested in the area, using a nesting platform that Natuurpunt installed on a pollarded poplar trunk.

The network of ditches, gullies and small drinking pools, combined with roughland vegetation and scattered trees and shrubs, provides suitable conditions for a wide variety of dragonfly species. The damp environment also supports healthy populations of toads and frogs, making the reserve a rewarding destination for nature watchers beyond birdwatchers alone.

How did this wetland come to exist?

The site's history is tied to local industry. In the middle of the last century, many plots across the valley were planted with poplar trees to supply wood for Geraardsbergen's match-making industry. Once that industry disappeared, the conservation organisation Natuurpunt purchased a large part of the valley to restore its natural character. Most of the poplar plantations were felled and cleared away, allowing a more varied landscape to re-emerge — one populated by species genuinely suited to a river valley wetland, rather than a managed timber crop.

Today Boelaremeersen is actively managed as a protected area, with regular conservation work such as mowing, grazing and control of tree and shrub encroachment, all aimed at keeping the habitat open for reed- and meadow-dependent bird species.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the walking trail through Boelaremeersen? The main marked trail is about 6 kilometres long and passes through the reserve's key habitats, from wet roughland and valley forest to grassland and reed fields.

Which bird species can be seen here? Notable breeding species include the water rail, bluethroat and reed bunting, along with white storks, which have nested on a dedicated platform since 2016.

Where exactly is the reserve located? Boelaremeersen lies within the city of Geraardsbergen, in the Dender river valley, between the sub-municipalities of Schendelbeke and Nederboelare, in the Flemish Ardennes region.

Was the area ever used commercially? Yes — much of the valley was once covered in poplar plantations that supplied Geraardsbergen's match-making industry. After that industry declined, the land was converted into a nature reserve.