Flowering season 2017
info: in the southeastern part of the forest, called ‘Keldergat’, trees have been felled this year (wood extraction). Trunks and crowns are lying in various places in that part of the forest and there are piles of firewood along the trails. From 1 March to 30 June however, the wood extraction stops (“schoon” time) and the loggers are not allowed to continue their work. “Schoon” time comes from the German “Schonen” meaning ‘save’, ‘protect’. The “schoon” period helps to protect the vegetation (spring flowers), to ‘save’ and not to disturb the nesting birds.
Permission for professional photo shoots, with or without models, or film recordings must be requested via the box office. In the Hallerbos you must always stay on the paths, also when taking pictures and filming. The soil and vegetation are fragile and very sensitive to trampling. The use of drones is not allowed in the forest.
On the plateaus where the sun heats the soil easier, there are more bluebells every day. But in most parts of the woods, the anemones are predominant. A blue sea of flowers will not be seen this week yet. A nuthatch is adapting a former woodpeckers’ nest entrance.
If you can, come during the week to enjoy the spring atmosphere. In three weekends, from 15 April, there is a special traffic arrangement and the city of Halle provides a free shuttle bus. More information.
Sad scene at the wood this morning where a young roe deer was hit by a car. Deer never walk up to the road by their own free will, but only when they are chased, by dogs, or noise, for instance. They normally stroll quietly in the wood, they are very shy creatures and get easily startled. They are very fragile, a wound will cause their death.
This is why dogs must be kept on a leash at all times in the wood. Free running dogs may scare the deer and cause huge damage, as happened this morning…
Never walk on bridleways (horse riding paths) which are for horse riders only. Deer are used to seeing horses there, but again, seeing people there will frighten them off.
If you drive through the wood to the car park, drive slowly. Be aware that the wood is the home of many animals.
Wood anemones relish the sun. Their flowers are completely open and colour great parts of the wood white. The bluebells are slower, on most plants no buds can be seen yet. Only on the warmest and sunniest places in the wood, a few blue flower clusters appear in the green carpet of leaves. The first beautiful fern curls (young, rolled up fern leaves) are to be seen.
Unfortunately, there is another striking thing: the many barren patches caused by visitors over the last years, empty spaces where there are not any flowers this year. They might become much bigger still in the coming months… and yet, all you have to do to protect the wood’s fragile vegetation is: Stay On The Official Paths, also when taking pictures.
A summery warm spring sun gives a push to the spring flowers. In the forest edges, blacthorn is thriving abundantly, its shrubs full of snow-white flowers. There are still a few beautiful daffodils left. In the edges of the paths, lesser celandine ensures yellow stars. But the most conspicuous spring flower of the moment is the wood anemone. There seems to be a white sea of flowers in great parts of the woods on such a sunny day. On the plateaus, which are the sunniest and hottest places in the wood, here and there a bluebell appears. But there is just a few of them. The coming days are the time to enjoy the wood anemones. Don’t miss out on the wonderful time of the anemones, if you can.
Roe deer enjoy the peace and quiet in the wood and are undisturbed nibbling on the bushes. Also for them it is of the utmost importance that visitors stay on the paths and keep their dogs on a leash the coming weeks. The female deer are pregnant and are going to give birth by the end of May. If they are harassed in this period, it is so bad for them. The bloom of the wild daffodils has passed its peak, the first are starting to wither. Great parts of the wood turn white, especially on a sunny day, when the flowers of the wood anemones are fully open to catch every ray of sunlight. Every day is different in the wood. It is wonderful to see nature flourish. If you can come to wood only once, for the bluebells, you need to have some patience still.
This month the trees are measured and hammered with the ‘royal hammer’ (the process of marking which trees are to be felled). In June they will be sold by public auction. From Octobers, the loggers can fell them. The wild daffodils are beautifully in bloom. There are more blooming wood anemones by the day. In the shadow of the pines, wood-sorrel blooms. A curious bluetit watches the renovations to a former woodpeckers’ nest by a nuthatch. The first bluebells are blooming, which is 12 days later than last year, but 10 days earlier than in 2015. We still have to wait for a blue forest. But the other springflowers give the wood an enjoyable spring atmosphere.