Phosphate treatment Steertse Heide

The Steertse Heide is an open area of 140 ha with a partly agricultural function and partly nature management (mainly hay meadow management). This creates an environment with intensively farmed fields, fertilised grasslands, and grasslands under clearance management.

Due to historical agricultural use with accompanying fertilisation and soil tillage, the Steertse Heide is more nutrient-rich than other parts of Grenspark Kalmthoutse Heide, making it attractive to species that prefer a richer environment than those living in the open heathland. At the same time, the transition to heathland represents a rare added value for Flemish heathlands.

This project addresses a challenge: the fertilisation of grasslands and fields in the Steertse Heide is a bottleneck for the heath and fen habitats in the Kalmthoutse Heide. The fen De Groote Meer is directly affected by nutrient-rich water from the Steertse Heide. To address this, a water treatment plant with iron sand filter was built along the northern moat, with successful results in improving water quality.

The construction of a second wastewater treatment plant on the southern moat is now planned, with a twofold aim: improving the water quality of De Groote Meer and restoring the historic fen Evertandven. This undertaking requires thorough research into the hydrological system, effects on the abiotics of De Groote Meer, and compensatory measures for nature development.

This project is made possible thanks to support from the Flemish Government and Province of Noord-Brabant.