Photp Roelof Kleis Over the next few weeks, they will stroll through the city in groups: the new students. Discover the city is a fixed part of the programme. But, don’t forget to take a look beyond the city boundaries. The landscape around the city has much to offer. It is all neatly summarised in the newly-published book Wageningen Landscapes (De landschappen van Wageningen).
The book is an initiative of the Mooi Wageningen (Beautiful Wageningen) association, and was written by publicist Wim Huiser, and published by Blauwdruk, who also published the book Wageningen 750. This new book’s lay-out appears similar, while the content focuses on the landscape rather than Wageningen’s history.
Huijser subdivides the surroundings into five parts: The Wageningse Berg, the Eng, the flood plains, the Nude and the Binnenveld. The area’s history is recounted through many pictures, graphics and maps. Interviews with more or less prominent Wageningen inhabitants and their personal relationship with the environment makes the story diverse and lively.
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The book may not have much to offer seasoned inhabitants. This is compensated by the beautiful pictures (by Wageningen’s Camera Club, among others). The less seasoned Wageningen residents, and first-year students, in particular, will marvel at the flood plains plan that allowed the city centre to grow all the way to the water. The plan was cancelled at the last minute.
There is much room for the development of nature in the Binnenveld. Initiatives by citizens (and Mooi Wageningen) led to a nature area of some 180 hectares called the Binnenveldse Hooilanden. This area aims to reintroduce sesleria albicans, quaking fens and kingcups.
De landschappen van Wageningen. By Wim Huijser. Uitgeverij Blauwdruk, Wageningen.
