The municipality of Ubbergen

‘Het Hoog en het Laag’
The Dutch municipality of Ubbergen is characterised by two completely opposite sceneries. Since time immemorial, people talk about ‘Het Hoog en Het Laag’ because the area is divided into two totally different landscapes: a high and a low area. In the southern part you will find a lateral moraine landscape made up of mainly forest-covered hills that can be as high as 90 meters above NAP (Normal Amsterdam Water Level). To the north you will find a vast polder landscape with the river Waal in the background. This combination of landscapes is what makes Ubbergen so special; the Netherlands has a lot of hills and of course polders, but the combination of the two is a rare treat. 

‘Mothers finest’ 2007 
In 2007, the white lands of the municipalities of Groesbeek, Ubbergen, Millingen aan de Rijn, Rijnwaarden and part of Lingewaard were awarded the protected status of areas of ecological value and are jointly referred to as De Gelderse Poort. In that same year, the twin villages of Beek and Ubbergen (‘Beek-Ubbergen’) were proclaimed ‘greenest villages of the Netherlands for 2007. In 2008 the twin villages hope to win the title of ‘greenest village of Europe’.  

The special ‘Water Works’ project was one of the reasons why these green villages managed to win the award. The project made sure that less spring and rain water drained off to the sewer and that there was less flooding. Spring water of the lateral moraine was brought to the surface for this purpose. Furthermore, the project brought renewed attention to Beek’s laundry history. Laundry drains and a system of streams running through the village are still  silent witnesses of this past. 

Read more:
www.ubbergen.nl (only in Dutch)