Swim for koopmanspolder
Every year the participants of Rondje Pampus swim for a good nature cause under the motto: Experience nature in open water! Last year participants swam for the creation by It Fryske Gea of native vegetation around the Vismigration River. This year part of the entry fee of Rondje Pampus will again go to a very special good cause: the further development of the Koopmanspolder!
Just outside the West Frisian village of Andijk lies the Koopmanspolder, a unique place where nature, water management and cultural history come together. This sixteen-hectare polder was redesigned in 2012 based on a design by visual artist Ben Raaijman. When you view the polder from above, you see a shape reminiscent of the whirlpool of a draining bath. The intention of this design is not only to give the landscape a striking face, but also to act as a testing ground for future water management.
The province of North Holland, the Hollands Noorderkwartier Water Board and the Department of Public Works experimented with different water levels here starting in 2014. They are working with Wageningen University to study how level management affects water safety, water quality, fish stocks and nature development. In this way, valuable knowledge is being gathered to better prepare the Netherlands for the consequences of climate change.
Since 2023, the Koopmanspolder has been managed ecologically. Care is taken to mow the botanical grasslands, remove woody storage and ensure a good water flow, so that this special area can further develop into a nature and recreation area. In addition, the polder is connected to the IJsselmeer via a fish-friendly pipeline, so that fish can use the polder as a spawning and juvenile area.
strengthening of natural assets
To prepare the Netherlands for climate change, Rijkswaterstaat and knowledge institute Deltares are developing various concepts for water storage and combined functions. The Koopmanspolder shows how the ‘back bank concept’ works in practice: here, safety, nature, recreation and cultural history all have a place. In the period from July 15 to October 15, part of the area is open to visitors, so that hikers can walk along a shell path to the viewpoint in the middle of the whirlpool. Outside this period, the polder is left alone so as not to disturb breeding and wintering birds.
The variation in wet and dry parts also attracts different animal species. Marsh and water birds can find food and rest in the lee of the polder, while fish can swim in and out freely from the IJsselmeer via the fish-friendly inlet and outlet construction. To strengthen the natural values, a phased mowing management will be used. The grasslands will be mowed step by step, constantly taking into account the animals and vulnerable plants present.
Invasive species are also addressed to protect native flora and fauna. In addition, woody storage is selectively removed so that the polder retains its open and natural character. A monitoring program follows the effects of water level management and nature development.
outer dike area and history
Historically, the Koopmanspolder is also special. Once this area outside the dikes was part of the so-called Grote Nes, foreland between Medemblik and Enkhuizen. Due to heavy storms and floods, much of the land was lost, causing the coastline to shift. Finally, the polder was re diked in 1846 by local contractors, including Pieter Schuurman. The Westfriese Omringdijk and some old toponyms still remind us of this turbulent history. Gradually the polder has had different names, including Kerkenes and Buitenpolder, until it was given its current name, Koopmanspolder.
Today, nature here benefits from a dynamic water level and the connection with the IJsselmeer, while the polder is also a place for recreation and landscape art. Visitors experience a piece of living history: from the building of dikes by Count William of Holland to modern innovations in water management. To make this experience accessible to everyone, the network of hiking trails will be expanded in the coming years. Part of this construction will be co-financed by a donation from Stichting Rondje Pampus in 2025, so that more people can enjoy the unique combination of history and nature. In this way, the Koopmanspolder will continue to develop as an inspiring example of modern and sustainable water management and regional heritage.