Maasmechelen ICOS Station

The station with ICOS code BE-Maa, is located in Maasmechelen, 10 Km northeast of the city of Genk on the Belgian Campine plateau or High Campine, a region that stretches over north-eastern Belgium and the south-eastern Netherlands. A national park of 60 Km2 now encompasses part of this region, founded in 2006. The site is situated in a 400ha heathland called Mechelse heide, and it is a shrubland dominated by common heather (Calluna vulgaris L.), that grows up to one meter high. Other typical species are cross-leaved heath (Erica tetralix L.), bell heather (Erica cinerea L.) and common broom (Cytisus scoparius L.).