Polder noir inondé, Nature reserve and polder in Zeeland, Netherlands
Polder noir inondé is a flooded nature reserve located along the Western Scheldt estuary near Nieuwvliet. The landscape contains mudflats, salt marshes, and dunes that shift and change with tidal movements and waves.
The site formed when a dike broke in 1802 and flooded the original Black Polder that had been built in 1623. This flooding transformed the area into the natural reserve that exists today.
This place belongs to the UNESCO Geopark Schelde Delta and shows how people have learned to live with water and shifting land. Visitors can observe how nature and human intervention continue to shape the landscape together.
Access to the area is available from several points along the sea dike, with parking facilities nearby. Visitors should wear sturdy footwear and weatherproof clothing since the terrain is often damp and wind-exposed.
Active tidal channels within the reserve constantly rearrange deposits of sand and clay in different patterns. This continuous reshaping creates a landscape that never settles into a fixed form.
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