| Nature |
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| 1. Natural Values |
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Together with the towns of Dirksland, Middelharnis and Oostflakkee
the town of Goedereede forms the South Holland island of Goeree-Overflakkee.
The town of Goedereede is situated on the head of Goeree-Overflakkee
and is enclosed by the North Sea (Voordelta), the Haringvliet and
the Grevelingenmeer. From way back the island has been gained from
the North Sea by the islanders, in the course of which the sea was
often gaining, but just as many times the land was again regained.
The head of Goeree-Overflakkee is formed by raising, dike formation
and sand alluvion.
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The present landscape of Goedereede is
characterized by extensive dunes and wide beaches, small-scale
landscapes of sand banks, nature reserves, creeks, channels
and agricultural areas. Besides freshwater areas there are saltwater
areas, as a result of which there is a rich and varied flora
and fauna. The dynamic nature reserve from way back is still
developing. The town of Goedereede is economically strongly
dependent on tourism. In the last decades the former island
has strongly developed into a large nature reserve. |
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| 2. Information & Education |
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In the 17th century the Head of Goeree is already described by Hendrik
van Dam as a charming environment that attracts many day-trippers.
This development has continued; now the island is annually visited
by millions of visitors. In spite of this bustle the former island
radiates a certain peace. Its beauty of nature, wide beaches, peace,
space and the abundance of water especially attract families and quiet
public. Goedereede is about 25 km long and 4 km wide. On the former
island many cycle routes and trails have been plotted out that lead
the holiday-maker through nature reserves and open landscapes.
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Not all nature reserves are freely accessible. This is not strange
as many areas such as the Voordelta, Grevelingen and Haringvliet are
still developing in abundance as regards flora and fauna. In the municipality
various nature conservation organisations are active, including Natuurmonumenten,
Waterschap Hollandse Delta, Grevelingenschap, Haringvlietschap, Staatsbosbeheer
and South Holland Delta that closely cooperate to keep the former
island attractive.
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| 3. Contact with Nature |
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The town of Goedereede has a large variety of nature and recreational
areas, such as mud, dunes, forests, agricultural areas, lakes, islands,
natural wide beaches and aquatic sport and angling areas. Because
of this variety the municipality is popular with various users, who
can be divided in nature lovers, beach visitors, aquatic sport and
angling lovers and combinations of these.
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Annually 2.4 million stays take place
in the municipality and from the Randstad and the hinterland an estimated
1.2 million day-trippers come to Goedereede. The former island is well
accessible by public transport as well as by private forms of transport.
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| 4. Green Policies |
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The town of Goedereede is a green municipality,
situated in the middle of water between sea and landlocked lakes. The
tourists that are annually visiting the municipality are especially
looking for peace, sea and nature. Together with nature organisations
and other authorities the town of Goedereede takes care of the coastal
management, for the open water (sea) as well as the polder water. Besides
the municipality also particularly wants to be a sustainable municipality,
where there is room for nature development, ecology and information
to its visitors. |
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In the residential areas it therefore
also aims at improving and extending the green area. Regarding the management
of the nature reserves the municipality is in continuous consultation
with organisations and other authorities.
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| 5. Open
Landscapes |
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Goedereede has come into being by land reclamation from the North
Sea. Thousands of years ago sandbars started to lie above sea level
and because of sand-drift these bars remained dry with the lapse of
time. Hunters and fishermen settled on the sand heights. Behind these
dunes a wet, clay-like landscape had come into being. In the course
of time the island has been flooded many times by storm and dunes,
protecting the hinterland, were washed away. But the sand reclamation
got the upper hand and in the course of the centuries the island at
last moulded itself into Goeree.
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The island has the shape of a shell with the dunes on the outside
and the vulnerable areas on the inside. In general the town of Goedereede
has open and flat areas. To the western and eastern sides spacious
dunes are situated that protect the hinterland against storms and
high water from the North Sea. The municipality aims at preservation
of the open landscape and has established this in Toekomstvisie Goedereede.
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