The Hedwigepolder is a piece of land in the far west of the province of Zeeland, Netherlands, bordering the Belgian border. This area has a fascinating history and has attracted attention due to an unlawful violation between the Netherlands and Belgium, known as the Hedwigepolder conflict.
The origins of the Hedwigepolder go back to the Middle Ages, when dikes were constructed to protect the area against flooding. The land was reclaimed and developed for agriculture, mainly livestock and arable farming. The area became permanent after Saint Hedwig of Andechs, and the polder was given its name, the Hedwigepolder.
However, the Hedwigepolder is best known for the Hedwigepolder conflict that started in 2005. It revolved around the agreements made in the Treaty of Maastricht in 1839. According to this treaty, the Netherlands had to reclaim and drain part of the Zwin, an estuary on the coast. . This is part of the creation of the Hedwigepolder.
The problem arose when the Netherlands decided to flood the Hedwigepolder again in 2010 as part of an environmental project to restore the natural tidal function of the Western Scheldt. This decisive decision aroused fierce resistance from Belgium, because the water was contaminated with heavy metals and polluted. The Flemish government and other stakeholders in Belgium believed that the Netherlands should fulfill its obligations under the Maastricht Treaty and keep the polder dry.
It moved to political and legal discussions between the Netherlands and Belgium, and it also attracted the attention of nature conservation organizations and environmental groups. An agreement was finally reached between the two countries in 2015, in which the Netherlands agreed to preserve the Hedwigepolder and eliminate the loss of natural values for the elderly.
The Hedwigepolder remains a symbol of the complex relationship between economic interests, environmental protection and international agreements. The area itself has a long history and offers an interesting look at the challenges of managing coastal land and preserving delicate ecosystems in the Low Countries of Europe. It remains a reminder of the delicate balance between human activity and nature.
The Hertogin Hedwigepolder was a reclaimed part of the Verdronken Land van Saeftinghe, a nature reserve in Zeeuws-Vlaanderen, the Netherlands, between 1907 and 2022. A small part of the polder is located on Belgian territory. In 2005, it was decided to depolder the Hedwigepolder in order to restore the natural quality in the Western Scheldt. This decision was emotionally charged in Zeeland and Dutch politics, which caused it to be delayed. Depoldering began in October 2022.
Translated by Google •
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