The Romeinenweerd ("weerd" means: land along water) is a recently created new natural area near my home town, Blerick, in the south of the Netherlands.
After the inundations in the mid-nineties of the 20th century, caused by very high water in the river Meuse, dams were built to prevent more damage by another occasional flood. In the region of Blerick, large masses of sand and clay were dug out to be used in the dams. When the works were completed, it was decided to let the area where the soil had been removed run wild and "new nature" developed quickly. The lower parts became ponds, surrounded by the typical vegetation of wet land (poplar, willow, alder). Birds like the stonechat and the bluethroat showed up after a while.
Because the development was a success, the area has been enlarged and is nowadays managed by "Het Limburgs Landschap", an institution that  strives after the maintainance of original types of landscape from this region. A Galloway herd grazes in the "weerd".  There are plenty of breeding water birds like mallard, coot, moorhen, greylag, (formerly) tame goose and mute swan. Depending on the season there are a.o. tufted ducks, shelducks and pochards.  Sometimes your eye catches a blue-green flash: a kingfisher.
On the other bank of the river Meuse is (see photo) the VieCuri hospital. The patients have rooms with a view.
Recently, a lot of trees have been cut down, because the river was obstructed by the vegetation in case of high water. This has altered the area and it will take time to see how it will develop again.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                
To go to the gallery of the Romeinenweerd: click here.