Loenermark - Loenen

The Loenermark is a large and contiguous area with a very attractive Veluwe landscape. It lies on the East Veluwe lateral moraine, between the Veluwezoom, the Deeler forest and the Loenen woods, and consists of vast forests and undulating heathlands. It forms the habitat for fallow deer, red deer, roe deer and wild boar. The area is grazed by a sheep herd in the north and a herd of Scottish Highlanders in the south. These grazers ensure that the heath remains open and a wide variety of reptiles, amphibians and insects can thrive here.

In the middle of the Loenermark is a sheepfold, from where shepherd Arjan Daalhuisen, from April to September, takes his sheep, newborn lambs and a number of heath cows out onto the heath every day. The flock consists of Veluwe heath sheep. A species that has been active here since the Middle Ages. Back then, every Veluwe village had its own flock that was good for manure, wool and meat. With the advent of artificial fertiliser, the Veluws heideschaap fell out of favour and almost died out.

In 1990, as one of the first municipalities, the municipality of Apeldoorn brought the Scottish Highlander to the area to take over grazing. Thanks to the residents of Loenen, a flock of heath sheep is now active in the area again. Management of the flock and the area is in the hands of Geldersch Landschap & Castles. At the sheepfold on the Droefakkers it is indicated what time the flock leaves and when the animals return to the fold.