Wild nature park Berg & Bos - Apeldoorn

Nature park Berg & Bos in Apeldoorn is a remarkable city park of about 250 hectares, located on the western side of the city, bordering the Crown Estates of Palace Het Loo. The park was created in 1934 as a job creation project during the economic crisis of the 1930s. About 500 unemployed people worked on the construction of the large forest pond and other landscape features. The land previously belonged to the Wils family and was purchased by the municipality in 1917 with a view to city expansion. The creation of Berg & Bos was intended to provide employment on the one hand and to create a recreational walking area for the residents of Apeldoorn on the other.

In the years that followed, the park developed into an important recreational area. In the 1970s the Apenheul was established within the park, further enhancing its recreational character.

Today Berg & Bos serves several purposes. The butterfly garden and pinetum (conifer garden) contribute to nature education. Since 1969, deer and wild boar can be seen in specially designed and fenced enclosures. These animals are not part of a nature reserve, but form an educational and recreational element. You can observe the animals from a safe viewing point near the play meadow.

The archaeological sites such as burial mounds and other historical elements, like Queen Wilhelmina’s painting spot, give the park a cultural-historical character. Finally, the park is also used for events and as an open-air cinema.