High Fens, Nature reserve in Province of Liege, Belgium
The High Fens stretches across a vast boggy landscape that combines peatland, heather vegetation, and forests into a single natural zone. The terrain is flat to gently rolling, with open areas and forested sections where specialized plants like sundew and cotton grass flourish.
For centuries this region remained a harsh, sparsely settled moorland before receiving formal protection in the 1900s. After World War II, authorities recognized its ecological value and introduced measures to restore the peatlands and remove monoculture forests.
The name refers to the boggy moorland that has long shaped how people understand this region as a protected natural heritage. Today visitors come to experience the rare plants and wildlife that make this place distinctive.
Visitors should stay on marked trails since certain areas are closed to protect wildlife and the ground can be fragile and muddy. Sturdy footwear and weatherproof clothing are wise choices, as the terrain is damp and exposed, and conditions can shift quickly.
The area owes its existence to glacial activity that shaped the landscape thousands of years ago, making it one of the few naturally formed bogs in Western Europe. This ancient geological origin explains why such rare plants and animals thrive here today.
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