Heath landscape / drifting sand dunes on a spring morning in ‘National Park Loonse and Drunense Duinen’ part of ‘Van Gogh Nationaal Park’ in the Netherlands.
While the birds sing in trees and bushes, two ladies walk cheerfully chatting through the loose sand of the sand drift.
Work is also being done in the nature reserve. In the background you hear the constant rumbling hum of a loaders and trucks.
Photo Description – Loonse en Drunense Duinen, April 2025
This image captures a serene springtime. In the foreground, dry heathland stretches across the terrain, its muted brown and purple hues typical of early spring before full bloom.
Beyond the heath lies a vast expanse of drifting sand dunes, one of the largest inland sand drift areas in Western Europe. These open sandy plains are a hallmark of the park’s unique landscape, shaped by centuries of grazing and wind erosion.
Scattered trees, including tall pines and birches, punctuate the horizon, leading into a dense forest in the background.
The clear blue sky overhead adds a sense of openness and tranquility to the scene. A hiker with a dog can be seen in the distance, emphasizing the park’s popularity for walking and nature exploration.
The Loonse en Drunense Duinen is known for its striking contrasts: dry sand dunes, heathlands, and lush forests coexist in a dynamic ecosystem that supports rare flora and fauna. This photo beautifully illustrates that diversity — a snapshot of nature in transition, where wind, sand, and vegetation meet.
Birds detected by Merlin Bird ID app (ver. 3.7.2 (256 – 2025)
#0:00 #0:14 #0:18 #0:24 #0:31 #1:26 Eurasian Nuthatch
#0:31 #0:38 #0:41 #0:47 #0:58 #1:13 #1:29 #1:398 #1:49 #1:54 Common Chaffinch
#1:24 #1:37 Common Linnet
#1:28 Meadow Pipit
#1:07 Eurasian Jackdaw
#0:07 #0:25 #0:30 #0:39 Great Tit
#0:08 #0:27 Carrion Crow
More here today / More in this area of dunes and forest / all recording’s in van Gogh Nationaal Park / More in these drifting sand-dunes
Date/time: April 4 2025, 10:47 am
Weather: 14-16c, sun 100%, sun intensity 422-520 W/m2, wind E 9-13 km/h, 1021 hPa, humidity 44-50%, dew point 4c, visibility 29 km.
Location; heath landscape, National Park Loonse en Drunense Duinen / van Gogh nationaal park, between Waalwijk and Loon op Zand, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands (Holland), Europe. GPS 51.65408 5.08539
Gear chain: Sennheiser mkh30/50 MS, in Rycote cyclone small > pointed N, Sound Devices 302 >Tascam dr-100 Mk2. Decoded Mid-side to STEREO, limiter -3 dB.
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ABOUT THE SAND DRIFT IN THE LOONSE EN DRUNENSE DUINEN
Introduction
The Loonse en Drunense Duinen, located in North Brabant, are among the largest and most dynamic inland sand drift areas in Western Europe. This unique landscape, often called the 'Brabant Sahara', is the result of a complex interplay between natural processes and centuries of human activity. The sand drifts in this area are not only of great geological and ecological significance but also present a challenge for nature management, given ongoing threats such as nitrogen deposition, hydrological changes, and recreational pressure.
Geological Genesis
The foundation of the Loonse en Drunense Duinen was laid during the last Ice Age (Weichselian), when strong polar winds transported large amounts of fine sand from northern plains to Brabant. This sand was deposited as cover sand, which later formed the basis for the current dunes. During the Holocene, a warmer and wetter period, the sand became covered with dense forests and peat, stabilizing the landscape.
Human Influence and Deforestation
From the 12th century onwards, humans began to drastically alter the landscape. Forests were cleared for fuel and construction, heathlands were sod-cut and overgrazed by sheep, goats, and pigs. This overexploitation led to the disappearance of vegetation, exposing the sand and allowing the wind to mobilize it. Around 1400, the first large sand drift plains emerged, which expanded over the following centuries, even threatening villages and farmland.
Aeolian and Niveo-aeolian Processes
Wind is the dominant force shaping the sand drift landscape. During cold, vegetation-free periods, the wind could pick up, transport, and deposit sand, leading to the formation of dunes, sand waves, and ripples. In winter, the niveo-aeolian process played a role: sand was transported together with snow and redeposited during thaw, resulting in characteristic layered structures in the sand package.
Parabolic and Transverse Dunes
The landscape of the Loonse en Drunense Duinen is dominated by large parabolic dunes, formed by the interaction between wind and vegetation. The arms of these dunes point in the direction of the prevailing wind (southwest-northeast). In the 19th century, transverse dunes also formed, created by sand accumulation against planted plot boundaries and paths.
Soil Formation
Ongoing sand movement keeps soils young, which is essential for pioneer vegetation. In deflated depressions and areas where sand has been blown down to the groundwater, temporarily wet conditions can occur, contributing to the diversity of microhabitats.
Middle Ages to 19th Century
From the late Middle Ages, the area was increasingly exploited. Deforestation, overgrazing, and sod-cutting led to the formation of extensive heathlands and eventually open sand drifts. In the 14th and 15th centuries, villages such as Venloon were abandoned due to encroaching sand. To control the sand, oak coppice banks were planted from the 15th century onwards, but these only provided temporary relief.
19th and 20th Century
In the mid-19th century, large-scale pine forests were planted to stabilize the drifting sand. As a result, the area of active sand drift decreased sharply: from an estimated 1,100–1,500 hectares in the Middle Ages to about 200 hectares in 1990.
Recent Developments
Since the 1990s, management has focused on restoring open sand plains and preventing succession to forest. Large-scale restoration projects have been carried out, including tree felling, sod-cutting, and grazing, increasing the area of active sand drift to about 270–380 hectares.
Ecological Gradients and Transitions
The ecological value of the area is determined by gradients from bare sand to heath, lichen-rich vegetation, and forest. Transitions between bare sand, bent grass, moss and lichen vegetation, and sand heath are essential for biodiversity.
Flora and Fauna
The sand drifts are species-poor but host unique pioneer plants such as grey hair-grass (Corynephorus canescens), haircap moss (Polytrichum piliferum), various lichens (Cladonia spp.), and mosses. In later succession stages, heath grass (Agrostis vinealis), reindeer lichens, and eventually heather (Calluna vulgaris) establish.
Notable animal species include the European nightjar (Caprimulgus europaeus), woodlark (Lullula arborea), stonechat (Saxicola rubicola), viviparous lizard (Zootoca vivipara), tiger beetles, digger wasps, antlions, blue-winged grasshopper (Oedipoda caerulescens), and various rare lichens and fungi.
Sustainability
Restoration measures such as tree felling, sod-cutting, and grazing have proven effective in increasing the area of open sand and restoring pioneer vegetation. However, without ongoing management, the area will quickly become overgrown again due to succession and nitrogen deposition.
Economic and Cultural Importance
The area is of great importance for recreation, tourism, and regional identity. Over a million people visit the park annually, contributing to the local economy. At the same time, this requires careful management to preserve natural values.
Future Outlook
The sand drifts of the Loonse en Drunense Duinen are a unique and vulnerable landscape, shaped by a combination of geological processes and centuries of human influence. The ecological value is determined by the dynamics of open sand, pioneer vegetation, and gradients to heath and forest. The system is under pressure from nitrogen deposition, desiccation, recreational pressure, and afforestation. Restoration measures such as tree felling, sod-cutting, grazing, and recreation zoning have proven effective, but ongoing management and monitoring are essential to maintain biodiversity and landscape dynamics.
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Type
Flac (.flac)
Duration
2:00.000
File size
25.8 MB
Sample rate
48000.0 Hz
Bit depth
24 bit
Channels
Stereo
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