The Zwin Nature Reserve or Zwin plain straddles the border between Flanders and the Netherlands, between the city of Knokke in Belgium and the village of Cadzand in the Netherlands.
The Zwin Channel connects the area to the sea. Every high tide makes a large quantity of water from the North Sea flow into the nature reserve. At low tide, the water recedes. This ebb-and-flow interaction makes the Zwin an ‘intertidal area’.
The Zwin channel branches off into smaller creeks, through which the salty water spreads across the nature reserve.
Thanks to the daily influence of the salty seawater, the nature reserve boasts extraordinary fauna and flora.
The salty water creates specific circumstances, resulting in a unique biotope: mudflats and salt marshes. The mudflats are home to thousands of worms, snails, and bivalves, which serve as food for a wide range of birds. A walk across the plain is always an unforgettable experience.
The observation station and the panorama tower offer magnificent views across the Zwin Plain and its flora and fauna.
The exhibition in the Visitor Centre answers all questions about the fascinating world of birds and their migratory journey, and the formation of the Zwin plain.
(Source and further information: www.zwin.be).