Cycling through the trees

Tourism Limburg (Belgium) wants to focus on the development of the cycle network of the future. SMARTLAND has approached the task as a nature-inclusive project. This means that we explicitly make the connection between strengthening the forest ecosystem and the construction of this path and landmark. We strengthen the forest environment in conjunction with the construction of a bicycle path at high altitude (max. 10m), and make this enhanced forest environment a unique experience.

We strengthen the monotonous plantation forest environment by three interventions: We lower part of the forest, namely the old sand valley. We use the released sand to shape two parabolic dunes that will result in different micro-climates. The dunes will create a different distribution of water in the forest, to support the different forest types.

The experience concept from SMARTLAND focuses on generating amazement. Amazement at the many faces of the forestland, amazement on the different altitude layers between the trees and amazement on the special micro-climates between the tree crowns. To achieve this, we have designed an 'ethereal' bike path with a fantastic climax, the FOREST CROWN. The Forest Crown marks the crossroads of two monumental axes in the forest and is a part of a sequence of 5 experience route's:

• Cycling along the valleys.

• Climbing the dune.

• Turning through the pines.

• Meander through the foliage.

• Circling over the FOREST CROWN.

• Flow through the wet birch forest.