The Kamp (Camp) of Beverlo lies in the Limburg Campine Region and is the largest military area of Flanders. It is mainly used to organise floor and artillery exercises and as a drop zone. DOVO, the Service for the Clearance and Destruction of Explosive Devices, uses it to deactivate ammunition. The northern part is used as shooting area, the southern part as training area.

Thanks to the vastness of the area and to the fact that it was used for military purposes, wonderful stretches of nature, such as inland dunes, dry and wet heathlands and fens have been preserved. The present inland dunes are of special importance due to their vastness. Seepage areas and marsh depressions or lower situated areas where the groundwater flows on the surface, can also be found here. Typical of this region are the poor sandy soils that are crossed by numerous brook valleys. This is perfectly illustrated by the valley of the Zwarte Beek. It is one of the best preserved brook valleys of the Benelux.

Kamp Beverlo is of great value to various birds, such as the woodlark, the nightjar, the bluethroat and the common snipe, which in Dutch (watersnip) lent its name to the Flemish visitors' centre De Watersnip in Koersel. Rare amphibians such as the moor frog and the matterjack toad are at home here as well.

Photo: VBC De Watersnip