Episode 4: Trees and plants in the Aamsveen - The Gagel drives away the fleas
The Aamsveen was not suitable for agriculture, but of course everything useful was extracted from it. Peat was the most important, but some plants were also useful. For example, people used straw mattresses in their bedsteads. Of course, fleas soon appeared in them. To combat them, gail was taken from the peat. The smell of gail drove the fleas away. But did this make the mattresses flea-free…?
Six pine trees
The famous six pine trees, still a symbol for the Allies during the war, ultimately did not survive the war. They fell victim to the axe and ended up in the oven. The five oaks that stand on the same spot today are spontaneous. King would like to see the six pines return. According to him, there were already pines in Aamsveen during the Ice Age; they are part of the landscape.
Wetter
It bothers Koning that wherever other trees disappear, the oaks return. He is convinced that this development favours the advance of the oak processionary caterpillar. In his opinion, there are too many birch trees. A birch tree needs a lot of water. If you want to keep the area moist, and that is the policy, it makes a big difference if you have quite a few birch trees. He had his doubts about other measures, such as the creation of the Glanerbeek. He also made that clear. After all: ‘You don’t always have to have a say’.