Mantingerzand

The Mantingerzand is a beautiful Natura 2000 area, consisting of drifting sand and wet and dry heath and juniper. This landscape is interrupted here and there by small coniferous and deciduous forests. Did you know that the Mantingerzand mainly consists of former agricultural lands? This land is used for the development of new nature.

The Mantingerzand is located northeast of Hoogeveen and was created by cutting heath sods and the presence of sheep in the area. It is one of the most beautiful drifting sand areas in the Netherlands where you can enjoy walking and cycling. Because the humans and the sheep caused so much damage to the top layer of the sand, the underlying sand layers were exposed. This created sand drifts. The Mantingerzand area is very old (dating from the Middle Ages) and was thus created because humans had influence on the area. Because the area with sand drifts became larger and larger, oak and pine trees were planted at the end of the nineteenth century. The juniper has also been planted, which grows especially well on drifting sand. drenthe.nl/locations/1343236262/mantingerzand