De Liereman is a nature reserve located on the territory of the Belgian municipalities of Oud-Turnhout and Arendonk . The area also includes archaeological sites. The official name of the whole is Landschap De Liereman . This is Landschap De Liereman, in classic Kempen countryside made up of heathland, coniferous forest and dry drifting dunes that stoop to saturated fens.
It’s all a habitat for beautiful wildflowers like the marsh gentian, as well as European nightjars, wading birds like curlews and the natterjack toad.On your journey you’ll come by herds of grazing sheep and may also see wild konik horses. The visitor centre has an exhibition about history and biology of this ancient landscape, and boasts a welcoming scenic terrace open every afternoon.
Nature
The area of 439 ha is home to a wide variety of typical Kempen vegetation ranging from wet and dry heather , gale thickets, alder and willow pants , birch-oak forest , pine forest , drifting dune, heather grassland to meadow bird area. Six walks depart from the visitor center . The Korhaan is a small heathland area. The Hoge Mierdse Heide is located between De Liereman and De Korhaan. Here are weekend houses and intensive agriculture is also done. Nevertheless, this area also contains important biotopes.
In De Liereman, the presence of more than 70 species of breeding birds has been established. These include the curlew , black- tailed godwit , lapwing , oystercatcher , grasshopper warbler , nightjar , wood lark and reed bunting . Many reptiles, amphibians, mammals and insects are also found there. Among other things, the natterjack toad lives there.
Watercourses
Several streams run through Landscape De Liereman, such as the Lieremansloop, Horsbeekloop, Grote Calie, Braekeleersloop, Hertekuilloop and an unnamed watercourse. These were artificially dug to drain the area.
The Braekeleersloop and Hertekuilloop end in the Lieremansloop.
The Horsbeekloop and Grote Calie flow into another area and were constructed to drain the Rode Goor, part of the De Liereman Landscape. These also sometimes overflow, resulting in undesired dispersion of nutrients. The bed of the Horsbeekloop was moved in the 2010s to solve this problem.
