Bike Netherlands/The green heart of the Netherlands

Polder in the green heart of the Netherlands
A polder is a diked low-lying area near water bodies.
The classic Dutch polder is an area that is itself protected from flooding by dikes. In most of these polders, the water level of neighbouring larger waters (sea or rivers) is often or permanently above ground level. For this reason, the water from the drainage ditches of the polder must be pumped over or through the dike, in modern times mostly with motor power, in pre-industrial times with wind power (water mills).