Expert Guides and Regional Planning Resources for Sallandse Heuvelrug National Park

A Dutch heathland ridge preserving the last remaining black grouse population in the Netherlands

Sallandse Heuvelrug National Park

Sallandse Heuvelrug National Park protects a distinctive ridge of glacial hills in the otherwise flat Dutch province of Overijssel. The landscape represents one of the most significant geological and ecological features in this region of the Netherlands, with the heuvelrug (heathland ridge) serving as both a visual landmark visible from considerable distance and an ecological island of heathland habitat in an agricultural landscape. The geological foundation dates to the Saalien glaciation approximately 150,000 years ago, when advancing ice sheets pushed up massive amounts of sand, gravel, and clay that had previously been deposited by rivers, creating the characteristic hill formations. Subsequent wind-borne sediment deposits during the Weichselien glaciation further shaped the terrain, while meltwater erosion created distinctive dry valleys such as the Wolfslenk and Diepe Hel. The park's ecological character has been shaped by human activity over centuries. During the Middle Ages, increasing population pressure led to forest clearance, and intensive grazing by sheep and goats combined with the removal of soil layers for use as fertilizer transformed the woodland into the heathland that defines the area today. By the beginning of the twentieth century, the Dutch state initiated forestry programmes to prevent erosion and produce timber, leading to extensive pine plantation across much of the ridge. Contemporary management has shifted toward restoring and expanding open heathland, particularly for the conservation of the black grouse, which represents a species of particular conservation concern in the Netherlands.