June 8th – Day #13
A beautiful group of 40, with many new faces and many familiar souls who have joined us on earlier stretches like Christel, Gunther, Andrea, Jessica, Egbert and their kids Flora and Koen, Jolande, Puk, David & Linde, Ilana, Marita, Hanneke, Eric and Liesbeth joined us for our last stretch. A last measurement for the first time showed a no phosphate for the first time, perhaps the beautiful reeds are taking these up and creating the balance.
Two artists Jan and Mark drew on paper and mind inspiration from the Berkel. Next year, in Kult Vreden we will exhibit these together with many other people creating something for and with the Berkel.
We followed Joanna Macy’s Great Turning and shared our gratitude and pain for the world. We ended with sharing our intentions with the Berkel water and letting it flow into the larger water of the river IJssel (who shows very high water, also good to the IJssel again after our walk June 2021) with flowers, reeds, feathers and shells. With a beautiful water song in the background by Sarah Sounds.
June 7th – Day #12
Children voices of Flora and Koen, the children of our Berkel host family nicely woke me. This morning, we did a citizen science measurement with group 3/4 from school of Almen, class of Flora. They lit up discovering mossels, tadpoles and crabs. Afterwards they made drawings of the creatures they found. These will be part of next years exhibition of people creating things for the Berkel.
Today, the Berkelfamily came together in the Burgerzaal in Zutphen with the Berkel conference organised by the 3. Berkel Compagnie. Together, the waterboard (Waterschap Rijn en IJssel), drinkingwater company Vitens, RIWA Rijn, Dutch and German Berkel municipalities, the three Markes, other organisations like Natuurmonumenten, Vrienden van Velhorst, LeisureLands, Grundwasser Vreden, Canoe association Coesfeld, Biological centre Zwillbruck ven, IVN Zutphen signed the letter of intent in the direction of a drinkable Berkel. It’s a first collective step, an important step. Some steps are bigger than others, today was one of them. Hans Leeflang, father of Anne, who also walked from Billerbeck to (tomorrow) Zutphen has taken up this vision to get decision makers ligned up to sign the intention. The walk has been an important momentum in meeting eachother and witnessing that daily between 30-50 people joined us. It shows we long for the possibility of this world.
A rope symbolised the river Berkel. I asked every one to stand somewhere significant for them along the river and to share what makes them love the Berkel.
We acknowledged two Berkel heroes, handing out ‘lintjes’: one to Thomas Bucking and for Anne Leeflang. And then sung a drinkable Berkel song in German and Dutch together.
In the afternoon, we walked with another beautiful group with new and familiar faces in a wonderful section. We enjoyed the remeanderings, fish passages. In our silent section, we heard frogs and we saw roe deer. Later, the zompe that passed us noticed a King Fisher flying by. What a celebration of the river, including feeling the commitment made by many.
June 6th – Day #11 – from Lochem to Almen
Today, I voted for a Europe with drinkable rivers. Every day, every one of our actions can work towards a world with drinkable rivers or not.
With the children from school Nettelhorst, we did our citizen science measurements. Engaging with the children is one of my highlights of these walks!
A Mayfly, Ephemera vulgata (Driehoek eendagsvlieg), landed on my underarm. In our book Drinkable rivers (Drinkbare rivieren), we describe how special this is and how they are an indicator or healthy ecosystem!
Soon after this lovely encounter, we visited Landgoed Velhorst, where we were offered a lunch by Natuurmonumenten. Niels and Michiel from Natuurmonumenten and Winny van Buren from Vrienden van Velhorst both shared their inspiring initiatives and entrepreneurship in the landscape. Both Natuurmonumenten and Vrienden van Velhorst were the first to sign our Drinkable Berkel Intention and committed their first step. Friday, tomorrow (actually in a few hours, the nights are classically short….)
We enjoyed some large meanders that had been restored in the landscape by having a shared moment of silence. We felt what is the true essence, true character of Berkel.
We shared dinner with our lovely hosts in their front garden. In the evening, we had a good conversation with six LTO farmers of the area. It’s so key, from my experience, that we make time and space to have these meaningful conversations and moments of connection.
I desperately need to get some sleep now. In 5 hours, “tomorrow is a new day”.
June 5th – Day #10 – from Borculo to Lochem
It’s World Environment Day. Day prior to our elections.
So special, we were all welcomed with tea, coffee and cake offered by 3. Berkel Compagnie. What a contrast of passing the industrial park of Borculo. We learned how most of this area used to be swamp in the past. Highland cattle (Schotse hooglanders) are now munching (maintaining) the river banks. We were munching raspberries. The caterpillars of the Atalanta butterfly munching the nettles.
The confluence of the Slinge with the Berkel. We walked in silence and discovering layers within us: feeling what’s present; honouring our transition and the pain for the loss with this; honouring our pain for the world; being open as a sponge; sensing the silence of the river; and listening to a silent part within us, that would perhaps long to be heard.
A conversation with a farmer son, John and father and their neighbour Henk. John beautifully shared about continuous attention and adaptation, lessons from his land and his father. Boys up in the tree.
We were welcomed by a picknick lunch organised by Margaret van Diermen from Water Natuurlijk.
Swimming with swimming club the Walrussen. Doing a measurement together.
Thank you beautiful group of co-walkers for sharing, thank you guest speakers and thank you to the two special picknick moments, thank you wonderful hosts, thank you Anne for the amazing organisation.
June 4th – Day #9 – from Eibergen to Borculo
Annemarie and Norbert, our lovely hosts from Quelle Gebiet joined us again. Norbert is a woodmaker and he had made a typical Berkel Zompe which he put into the Berkel. Annemarie found a Broad Bodies-Chaser (Libellula depressa, Platbuik libelle) that had died. The banded demoiselle (Blauwe Weidebeek juffer), is a species of damselfly, that has become our symbol for a drinkable Berkel.
We enjoyed an hour in the zompe with a close feel of the gentle flow of the Berkel and the intimate river banks with her tree and shrubs covers. Joop Dijkman shared stories and we shared a special moment of silence in hope of catching a glimpse of the Kingfisher who lives in this stretch. We also shared with each other when we are experiencing being ‘in the flow’.
Getting off, some of us were interviewed by Regio8, news for the Achterhoek. Our path then followed the Berkel, we saw the marsh orchid (Dactylorhiza praetermissa, Rietorchis).
With Anky Spanjers from Vitens and Karel Hesselink from the Waterschap to Henk Leever and Jan Stokkers from DOE Duurzaam (Haarlo, Olde, Eibergen). They shared how they collaborated: vitens has two pumps extracting drinking water in this area and currently compensating for this uptake and drying of the soils by infiltrating water from the river Berkel. On 1200Ha 90 farmers are collaborating to learn more about healthy soils and caring better for their soils. With better soils, with more accumulated organic matter and with more water, the nutrient intake of all the grass and crops is better, the soils become healthier, the infiltration is better, and there is less run-off to the river. Every one wins. This example of DOE Duurzaam, of collaboration and learning about soil and water, could be a model for the whole Berkel valley!
Afterwards we shared an Achterhoek lunch in de Prinsen. Now the group continues to hear about swimming in the Berkel and swimmable rivers, while I make a little (big) meander to Brussels by train for the European Film Premiere of ‘Our Blue World: A Water Odyssey’ in Brussels…
June 3rd – Day #8 – from Oldenkotte to Eibergen
Marke Rekke and Marke Mallum showed us how inhabitants can actively participate in the maintenance of the land and river bank and collaborate with water authorities. Their method is something typical of the Berkel, that I haven’t seen yet with other rivers, and they would like to replicate this across the whole Berkel valley.
Melanie ten Kate from Omroep Gelderland joined us and made a radio report.
Filmmakers Dick Harrewijn and Arthur de Bruin came to film us for their new film. When working with Ravon on the Weatherfish (Misgurnus fossilis, Grote Modderkruiper), Arthur learned from these once common fish so used to swamp circumstances, how important the health and accessibility is of the side rivers and the floodplains (broad) and not only the accessibility and health of the length of the river (source to sea and vice versa). We visited a small section of the 8km Ramsbeek, the stream bypassing three weirs, and confluencing in the Berkel. The accumulated sand from Germany is dug away, hence managing similar soil depth and water levels and the weirs hold the water. Both of these maintenance or management techniques is done to create the right circumstances for the current farming practices. Curious if we explore what food we could grow here if we were to allow more dynamic water levels.
Today, we experienced the slowing down the flow of the river having arrived in flatter lands; the canalisation of the Berkel, and a change of our group now walking with many participants who are professionally and technically engaged with the river and the landscape and many were able to meet eachother and the landscape. We shared a moment of silence to remember our gratitude for water of where we grew up.
Tonight, we five walkers, all those who walk every day (Anne, Hans, Lieke, Catalina and I), stay in one family home of Yoke and Steven. Thanks Phebe for introducing us!
June 1st – Day #7 – from Vreden (Germany) to Eibergen (the Netherlands)
Please meet Berkel family member Anne Leeflang. She is, together with her father, Hans Leeflang, the initiator of the Drinkable Berkel walk. Anne has organised the whole walk: planning, logistics, contacts, and our hosts. She has received support from other Berkel family members, and I coached her with how I’ve been doing the river walks. I am so grateful for her work and graceful approach. It allows me to be fully present with the landscape and the group. In opening and closing circles, we go round and hear from each other how water has been our teacher; what we invite to grow and let go; how the Berkel has made us more ourselves. Having this other role during this walk, entails new discoveries for me.
Today, we started with a measurement, and Berkel Burgermeister from Vreden Ton Tenostendarp joined us.
Historian Volkert Pschuschke guided us on the first half of the day until we were picked up by buses to go to Zwillbrocker Venn Summer-home of the most northernly based flamingos???? since 1980s. Their Winter-home is on the edge of Zuid-Holland and Zeeland since 10 years, where the salty/brackish water or the large Grevelingen lake doesn’t freeze. Our Flamingo Fuhrer Sebastian Wantia brought us to see their Summer-home, a lake that has been formed as a result of us digging peat for fuel, leaving these dug out places in the landscape. And because these are wetland moors, they filled with water. A group of Sea Gulls who populated this area prior to the flamingos have brought nutrients to this otherwise poor area, creating now the perfect circumstances so that the flamingos only need to spend 10% of their time looking for food. Sea Gulls are their alarm in case a fox would arrive, so they can relax almost the whole time. Sebastian said he had not seen so much water since he works here as he could see now and that in 2018, 19 and 20 the Venn (lake) had completely dried.
The last section, the group of around 35 people canoed down the Berkel witnessing huge willows, oaks and poplars; Atalanta caterpillars on the nettle stems and seamlessly flowing from Germany into the Netherlands. No borders for the river, we do witness different values and policies reflected in the landscape. More on Monday 3 June..!
May 31st – Day #6
Today was a very picturesque day.
I loved the forest and the river between Stadtlohn and Vreden. Some protected Natura2000 areas we could not enter. We learned how people were also baptised with Berkel water.
How the places where people dug peat turf are now deeper parts in the forest and that are now filled with Himmelwasser. We saw both the Wassermuhle in Stadtlohn (lohn or loh in words refer to forest) as well us from Vreden with ‘die und der Badende’.
I also loved our beautiful Berkel family group today. I enjoyed the almost 7-year old Yannis, grandson of Mathilde (our host of last night). Also the power of Elizabeth from Vreden who started the citizen initiative for groundwater (our host this evening). And Volkert, the historian from Vreden who knows everything so accurately. It is believed that Berkel is either called this way refering to birch trees (berken) or to large stream (beek).
May 30th – Day #5 – from Gescher to Stadtlohn
Every day we have been singing “the river is flowing, flowing and growing…” and it’s what we see happening with the river and our group our growing Berkel family both in size as well as intimacy. In Stadtlohn, we were welcomed by the Berkel burgemeister, Berthold Dittmann, and by Interkulturele Begegnungen Projekte (IBP) who run the Cafe BerkelMuhle that will open in a few days. The especially opened for us with coffee and cake. Happy to see a beautiful functional fish passage, they monitored 5000 fish passing. I heard that the Ide or Orfe fish (der Aland or Winde) is the guiding species: when they can pass the passage all other fish can as well. Feeling grateful for all the people who walk with us all day, our local guides and our wonderful hosts.
May 29th – Day #4 – from Coesfeld to Gescher – 18km
With Andrea Kaup, her daughter Marisa, Christian, Jan, and seven others from Canoe Slalom Coesfeld we also canoed 1,7km with an intimate experience of the river. Thankful for them welcoming us to join. They shared the dilemma of one the one hand the great news of ecological improvements due to the EU water framework (flow for migratory fish) and on the other hand, it will mean they will need to canoe elsewhere. Canna bypass with a fish ladder be an alternative? A rainy day: rain water us the true source of the Berkel and gives life and is about letting go. Berkel bürgermeisterin Eliza Diekmann came to us to share the good news that the Berkel mayors from the German side are all positive towards our Drinkable Berkel intention (Erklärung). Lokalzeit Munsterland came to film us this morning, link in story. The rains made the flow of the Berkel strong. We saw watermills making energy from the flow and at the same time we saw a worrisome pile of jars with chemicals. Frans-Joseph Menker, our wanderführer of today, shared about spiritual places and about the cultural border between Coesfeld (clay ground) and Gescher (sand soils). His wife Regita, Berkel angel, invited all walkers and hosts into their home for a lovely meal. Now time to sleep again after midnight…
May 28th – Day #3 – Billerbeck – Coesfeld – 15km
Thomas Bucking fantastically guided us the whole day. From along a renaturalised river bank to walking under the ground in Coesfeld where the river is covered. Thomas had invited his network like, Stefan Bölte, to share how they had realised these remeandering efforts. It required a strong vision, engineering skills and so called yang energy. At the same time, it required a balance with paying attention, honouring the natural cycles of fish migrating and bird nesting, so to say yin energy. Now that this has been actualised and we’re able to sit with this stretch of free flowing river, we could witness the same powers of both yin and yang in a dynamic balance embodied in the river and her bedding.
May 27th – Day #2 – The Source area
Today, excursions in source area, Quelle Gebiet, with geographer Josef Räkers. He drank from one of the sources of the Stever river, where we saw water coming from the ground. With various maps, he showed us how a layer of 120mln years old forms the foundation for the Berkel river, like a bowl, a younger layer of 75mln years above this. One day, the time this bowl was shaped it, was lower with the sea here. Fossils found are the signs of these times. Now, as rainwater falls on the hills here, in the Baumbergen, and infiltrates sometimes up to 85 metres deep into the ground, the water fills this ‘bowl’ as it were. When overflowing, water emerges from the ground, hence these sources from all sides around at the 120m height with a diameter of about 10km.
We were hosted for lunch by Martin Althoff at the trainstation which is one of the interesting social enterprise of the Interkulturele Begegnungs Projekte that is also linked with the 4km Berkel Spaziergang that initiator Monica Brings showed us along the renaturalised river banks.
In the morning, we had done a first measurement, still as part of our Measurement Week that 65 other organisations in the world also have done this week.
We closed this special sources day with dinner with Berkel hosts who invited five of us to join for dinner. Berkel Family Annemarie and Norbert who fed us mainly from their garden Rhubarb pie, kohlrabi, salad, and strawberries. We were in paradise..
May 26th – Day #1 – Departure
Today, we started with the drinkable Berkel walk in the Berkel source area with more than 40 people. We were in Billerbeck Germany with people from Germany and the Netherlands. Inspired by the river, who doesn’t know country borders, we were one Berkel river family. We were welcomed by the mayor of Billerbeck Marion Dirks and hosted by our local guide Thomas Bücking from the 3e Berkel Compagnie. The riparian forest (Auenwald in Deutsch, ooibossen in NL) protects the sources. Yet about 95% of the people living here are dependent on a reservoir (Stausee) for drinkingwater as the nutrient (fertiliser) runoff from how we grow food in the area has accumulated, is out of balance and is too high for the surface or groundwater to be healthy enough to drink. Accompanied by Hein Pieper, dijkgraaf (chairman of waterboard), herbalist and illustrator Tanja Hilgers who has read out our dream for a drinkable Berkel, Stefan Hanstede , three children and many other Berkel people: it has been a wonderful start. Thank you everyone who was there, for our host tonight Doris & Felix, and in particular Anne Leeflang and Hans Leeflang for taking the initiative and organising this.
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