Nieuw Drassig Land

In 2023, the municipality of Voorst and the Vallei en Veluwe Water Board launched an initiative to work alongside residents of Nijbroek and Terwolde and other local stakeholders towards a climate-resilient, future-proof Nijbroek polder.

The catalyst was the pumping station on the Bandijk in Terwolde, which, due to increasing rainfall and prolonged dry spells, lacked the capacity to discharge or intake water when needed. To keep the area livable and resilient in the future, updating the pumping station was essential, as was improving water storage and retention in the surrounding lands, including the Nijbroek polder.

The distinct cultural-historical value of the polder landscape and the historic pumping station buildings served as key starting points for the chosen solutions. Over the past two years, this impressive project was captured by Jonathan de Jong and Bastiaan Brand (Gouden kalf winners 2024) in the documentary Nieuw Drassig Land.