A new tunnel has opened under the the Koningsdijk in the East Flemish municipality of Sin-Gillis-Waas. The tunnel isn’t intended for cars, bicycles or even human pedestrians but rather to allow cows access to pastures on both sides of the dyke without them having to cross a busy cycle lane.
Cattle tunnel in Sint-Gillis-Waas allows cows to graze on both sides of an historic dike
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The Koningsdijk in Sint-Gillis-Waas dates from 1673. The dike is located just along the border with the Netherlands. During the Spanish occupation of what is now Belgium the dyke served as a defence against insurgents from the North during the Eighty Year War.
In 2013 a cycle path opened on the dike and pastures were created on it where cows can graze. However, the cows have mainly grazed on the southern flank of the dyke and endangered the ecologically valuable reed collar there.
The Sint-Gillis-Waas Alberman Erik Rombaut (green) told VRT News that “That is why we started looking for a solution in consultation with the farmer and the Polder Management Board. We decided on a tunnel under the dike, so that the cattle can also graze on the northern flank.”
Reed collars are protected by law. The tunnel will mean that the cows will now graze more on the northern flank, allowing the reed collar on the southern flank more time to regenerate. The tunnel project cost a total of 40,000 euro.