One of the oldest bio-cultural landscapes of the Netherlands
The Stroomgebied Zuid-Veluwe surrounds the municipalities of Ede, Rhenen, Wageningen, Renkum and Arnhem. Its landscape and culture were formed by the glacial ridges and the River Rhine, with their height differences and water streams. The region is home to forests and heathlands, as well as clay soils and agricultural land.
Some of the most resilient agricultural practices began here thousands of years ago thanks to the glacial formations and the diversity of soils. This makes it one of the oldest bio-cultural landscapes of the Netherlands. Ancient burial mounds and remnants of Celtic fields bear witness to this history. The western Veluwe has long been Arnhem’s breadbasket. The grains once cultivated here, such as emmer and spelt, were originally brought by migrants from Anatolia and surrounding regions, testifying to our historic interconnectedness with other places.
The Stroomgebied was shaped in a time when people still knew how to live in symbiosis with nature
A culture in service of life
We now see that life in our bioregion is under threat from drought, pollution and the loss of living soils and biodiversity. Our place — and the wider world — face devastation, disintegration and despair. Yet in our bioregion there is still a considerable reservoir of ancestral knowledge, practices and places that resonate with all life. People continue to care for land and community in reciprocity. It is no coincidence that many agroecological pioneers and entrepreneurs have established themselves in the Stroomgebied. Many residents and organizations here are engaged in ecology, farming, care, health, sports, education and culture. By weaving these together we can create once again a culture in service of life.