High Fagnes

The High Fagnes form an area which extends, in Belgium in the Walloon region (Province of Liege) and, in Germany, in the the Rhineland-Palatinat and the Rhineland-of-North-Westphalia). In Dutch, Hoge Venen , in German, Hohes Venn . They belong to the major Patrimoine of Wallonia

One should not confuse High Fagnes with the Fagne, another natural area of the Wallonia.

The Signal of Botrange (694 meters) is the top of the Belgium.

They are the vast wide ones (4100 ha in Belgium) of peat bogs and forests which present a rather exceptional flora and a fauna related to the cold and wet climate.

The peat bogs were formed 7500 years ago, at the end of the last glaciation. The peat results from the decomposition of the plants, in particular the sphaignes, in very wet medium. Its thickness can reach seven meters. Until the middle of the XXe century, the Tourbe constitutes for the close inhabitants, an appreciable source of heating. The surface of the active peat bogs represents nothing any more but one hundred hectares.

The plate of High Fagnes is the most important boggy solid mass in Belgium. The other important solid masses are the Plateau of the Sizes, the Plate of Saint-Hubert and the Cross-Scaille (all in Wallonia).

History

In VIIe and VIIIe centuries, it via Mansuerisca is a way of connection between the large roadways Rheims - Cologne and Bavay - Cologne. This way is mentioned for the first time in 670, in a diploma of the frank king Childéric II. A long time, the administrative borders pass by the Baraque Michel. In the North-West, the Marquisat de Franchimont (Principality of Liege), with the North-East, the Duchy of Limbourg, in south-east, the county, then the Duchy of Luxembourg, with south-west, the abbey principality of Stavelot - Malmedy.

In 1795, the area becomes French (department of Ourthe).

The Congress of Vienna of 1815 cutting the plate High-Fagnes in two territories, separated by a North-South line passing primarily by the Helle and the Red Water:

Stavelot and the west of the plate returns to the Netherlands
Eupen, of German language, and Malmedy, however from Walloon language, returns to Prussia. These territories become Belgian in 1920.

As of the XIXe century, the landscape of peat bogs is deeply modified by the massive plantation of spruce S which upsets the ecology of the place.

In 1924, the Université of Liege installs a scientific station to study the high plateau under all its aspects.

In 1957 is created the national park of the High Fagnes . Its surface is of 4.200 ha.

In 1971 is created the Natural park High Fagnes-Eiffel which extends on 2.400 km ², including 700 km ² in Belgium.

At the end of the XXe century, the tourist pressure is such as conservative measures are taken, in particular by prohibiting certain zones, by limiting the access to others. That does not prevent the high plateau from being invaded the summer by in love ones with nature and the winter by thousands of cross-country skiers from Belgium, but also with the areas close to Germany and Netherlands.

Climate

The climate is abnormally hard compared to low maximum altitude. Abundant precipitations (1400 mm of water per annum with Botrange, 850 mm in Brussels), thick fog, persistent snow, but climate warming has reduced the roughness of the winters for a few years. Some records: 1,15 m of snow the February 9th 1953; it snows sometimes still in May.

Remarkable monuments and sites

artificial lakes of Robertville and Bütgenbach on the Warche, whose stoppings contribute to the electrical production.
stoppings of the Gileppe, the second built in Europe (1867 - 1875) and of the Vesdre (1938 - 1950); the lakes are a drinkable water reserve.
the Signal of Botrange, the culminating point of the Belgium with 694 meters; an arranged hillock ( Hillock Baltia ) makes it possible to reach the 700 meters. A tower hones some is set up there in 1933 (height: 28 m).
has 500 m from there, in direction of Robertville, the natural Center accommodates the visitors and their fact of knowing the area (didactic panels, guided walks). The center also organizes, in collaboration with the Lodging of stage in Ovifat, of the school camps (bound for the schools) and of specific animations (exposures, market of Christmas,…)
the Hut Michel: one of the inns fagnardes; at its sides, the Vault Fischbach.
the Cross of Been engaged the: to remember death, the January 31st 1871, of a couple of been engaged parties of Jalhay, in snow, to seek the required documents with their marriage with Xhoffraix; one finds them with little distance one of the other two months later.
Kreuz im Venn: around Kalterherberg, a rock isolated surmounted from a Christian cross.
many other crosses strew Fagne, witnesses of died the bold ones who claimed to want to defy the country of the peat bogs.

Remarkable geological phenomena

the buttresses of the plate accommodate many Pouhon S, carbo-gas ferruginous sources natural.
Presence of palse S , of the ponds of glacial origin, in particular in the High Fagnes north-Eastern.

Geography

The plate High-Fagnes extends from east-north-east in west-south-west, circumscribed in north by the Vesdre, and in the south by the Rour, the Warche then the Amblève. The roads which cross it north to the south and the rivers which dig deep valleys there, determine several zones of fagnes themselves (nonwooded). On the basis of the west-south-west:

the Fagne de Malchamps, crossed by the road of Spa towards Stavelot. It is limited to the west by the valley of the Amblève, to the east by the valleys of the Hoëgne and the highway E42. The fagne feeds out of water the ferruginous sources of Spa. The airport of the city is located in edge. The Wayai finds its source there.
the High Fagnes south-Western, in the neighborhoods of the Hut Michel and the Signal of Botrange. The river of the Helle limit by the east. A road connecting on the one hand Verviers and Eupen, and on the other hand Malmedy the cross-piece. The rivers of the Gileppe, Statte, the Hoëgne, the Red Water, the Trot Marets, the Bayehon, the Rour, the Schwartzbach, the Helle and the Soor take their source there.
the High Fagnes north-Eastern, limited to the east by the Vesdre, and crossed by the road Eupen - Montjoie (in Germany). Y take source the Spoorbach, the Ghete and Vesdre.
Another plate close, not making with properly part High-Fagnes, can be associated however there: the plate of Rocherath. It lodges in particular the military camp of Elsenborn, of which the essence of the surface makes up of moors and fagnes. Source on the plate the Warche, the Olef and the Schwalm take (or Perlenbach ). The Rour separates these two plates, ecologically, climatologiquement and geologically close relations.

Fauna

mammalian

bird

Black grouse (cock of heather): the census of spring 2004 gives a report on 27 males.
Ruail of the corns
Robin
Locustelle mottled
gray Shrike
Pipit farlouse
Tarier shepherd
Wheatear

reptil

Slow worm

Flora

Remarkable and typical plants not very widespread

the rossolis with round sheets ( Drosera rotundifolia ), carnivorous plant
the Linaigrette S: Vaginée Linaigrette ( Eriophorum vaginatum ) and Linaigrette with narrow sheets ( Eriophorum angustifolium )
the Bilberry S and Bilberry S: bilberry ( Vaccinium vitis-idaea ), bilberry ( Vaccinium myrtillus ) and bilberry of wolf ( Vaccinium uliginosum ), cranberry ( Vaccinium oxycoccos )
the andromède ( Andromeda polifolia ) and the Camarine ( Empetrum nigrum )
the Heather S: the quaternate Heather ( Erica tetralix ) and the Callune ( Calluna vulgaris )
the Fennel of the Alps ( Meum athamanticum ): in the valley of the Schwalm
the Trientale ( Trientalis europaea ), symbol of the reserve.
the Sphaigne S.
the Gentian of the marshes ( Gentiana pneumonanthe )
the Lycopod S: Huperzia selago and Lycopodium clavatum .
the narthécies of the marshes ( Narhecium ossifragum )
the Arnica ( Arnica Montana )

Widespread plants

the jonquils ( Narcissus pseudonarcissus ), which were the subject formerly of an intensive gathering; they were used in the area of Malmedy to dye eggs of Easter in yellow. Today their gathering is regulated (1 bouquet by anybody) and strictly controlled to prevent devastations.
Graminaceous S: the Molinie ( Molinia coeralea ) and the nard ( Nardus stricta )
the Laîche S: Carex rostrata , Carex echinata and Carex curta
the snap ring S: Juncus acutiflorus and Juncus squarrosus

Events

August 9th and 10th 2004: a fire devastates 150 ha of fagnes close to the Michel Hut.

Homonymy

Another area of Belgium bears the name of Fagne. It is located in the south of the Province of Namur on both sides of the valley of the Meuse.
Of other zones of high-marsh exists on the culminating points of the Ardenne, generally also called Fagnes , in particular on the Plateau of the Sizes and with the Barrière of Champlon.

Regulation for the access of the public

In all places and all times, it is interdict to circulate in Fagnes between laying down it and raising it sun.

On day, the accesses depend on the protection of the zone:

Zone has - Free access
Zone B - Only on the marked out ways
Zone C - Only with recognized guides nature
Zone D - Total ban

In certain significant places, these limitations are still reinforced in period of nesting, of mid-March at the end of July.

In all the cases the walks in Fagne are prohibited when the red flags (located in edge of the main roads) are hoisted: they mean that there is fire hazard! (even if time appears rainy to you, it may be that the basements are not sufficiently humidified, therefore, respect the instructions)

Sources

the article is partly inspired by High Fagnes , Carl Kamp, Eifelverein Düren, 1971
Guide of the Plate of High Fagnes , Robert Collard and Vladimir Bronowski, Editions of the Octagone, 1993
climatic Aperçu of High-Fagnes the , Pascal Mormal and Christian Tricot, weather royal Institut of Belgium, 2004
the birds High-Fagnes. History and geography of the birds nicheurs , Metzmacher Maxime. Eole editions, 2004.
Guillaume Apollinaire which lived with Stavelot in 1899 described the area in a poem Fagnes of Wallonia

Study and promotion

association the Friends of Fagne , born in 1935, joins together in love ones and defenders of the area.
the Université of Liege created a scientific Station in Fagnes, to promote investigations geological, climatological, historical, etc It is located beside the Mount-Rigi.
the natural Center of Botrange has a vocation of popularization on these topics.

External bonds

the site of the natural park
the natural Center of Botrange
the site of the scientific Station of the Mount-Rigi
a university site on the peat bogs
Internet site of the '' Amis of Fagne ''
Haus Ternell: inn and center-nature
Some pages on the Birds of High-Fagnes the

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