The village of Hochmoor - it all started with peat         

The natural space of the "White Fens" is located on the edge of the Westphalian bay and reaches up  to Gescher and its neighbouring towns of Coesfeld, Reken and Velen.

The moorland originally covered an area of around 1,200 hectars and used to be the largest in Westphalia at the end of the 19^th century. The source of the little stream “Heubach” and the extensive surrounding wetland meadows were part of it.

The "White Fens" were hard to access until the middle of the 19^th century. When first mapped, they were marked as "no land". The fens’ black and white peat had an enormous thickness of two to five metres.

The name "White Fens" is probably derived from the white-flowering cotton grass that covered large areas of the raised bog.

Initially, peat was only extracted on a small scale at the edge of these moor areas. It was very difficult and took until 1846 to establish a settlement in the so-called Tungerloh Mark.

Things changed when the Fens were partly cultivated and the Klasmann peat works were founded between 1906 and 1908. The first settlements were established in 1909 not far from the works and in 1912, a single-class school was built. This laid the foundation for today’s Hochmoor community. It took a long time to agree on a name for the village. The name Hochmoor was officially designated in 1962.

Industrial peat extraction only lasted for about 50 years and ended shortly after the great moor fire in 1959. Towards the end of peat extraction and following various cultivation and infrastructure measures, the former Fens were transformed into extensive agricultural areas operated by numerous small farms. This, of course, changed the landscape significantly in many areas. The residential and commercial areas of Hochmoor were continuously developed along with it.

                                                                                „White Fens“ and Heubach meadows undergoing fresh changes                                                                                                

The first nature reserve in the region to be placed under special protection was the Fuerstenkuhle area in 1942. Thus the characteristics of a typical moorland landscape could be preserved.

Large parts of what used to be the largest moorland area in Muensterland were transformed in the years following into intensively farmed, agricultural areas, which had required extensive drainage and cultivation work. It was not until the end of the 20^th century that private efforts as well as initiatives by the nature conservation authorities, supported by public funding measures, led to closer collaboration between nature conservationists and farmers so that step by step some of the natural area worthy of protection could be recovered.

These efforts have increased significantly in recent years. Further areas of the "White Fens" and Heubach lowlands east of the village of Hochmoor have been placed under nature and landscape protection. Besides Fuerstenkuhle, the Kuhlenvenn nature reserve has become a special attraction for nature lovers since 1988. Numerous wet meadows interspersed with small lakes, reedbeds and shoreland offer ever-changing views of this versatile natural area.

Why not take a look for yourself, especially at the great variety of water birds, waders and meadow birds which breed or rest in this natural space? It is a great year-round nature experience for young and old. Clearly, large parts of the "White Fens" are again undergoing positive changes.

You are invited to turn to the Biological Station in Zwillbrock (www.bszwillbrock.de), the district of Borken, Department of Nature and Environment (info@kreis-borken.de) or the local heritage association in Hochmoor (www.heimatverein.in-hochmoor.de) to learn more of this nature reserve.

The qualified staff at these places will be happy to provide you with further information.