Editing Sint-Oedenrode (section)

==Landscape development==
Sint-Oedenrode originated on the banks of the river the Dommel. The presence of this river has left a mark on the development of the landscape and the main parts of the town. The valley landscape with [[meadow]]s, [[pasture]]s and small landscape elements such as steep edges and pools was fairly open. The higher, cultivated fields formed with its gibbous fields, hawthorn hedges and wooden windbreaks a more closed landscape. 
In the late 13th century, the [[Dukes of Brabant]] were about to issue a perpetual lease of common grounds. For example, in 1314 the lease issued the "[[Bodem van Elde]]". This vast humid forest and heathland was virtually uninhabitable. The border of this congregation, which was located between [[Sint Michielsgestel]], [[Boxtel]], [[Schijndel]], Sint-Oedenrode and [[Liempde]], was formed by the river the Dommel. The commissioning of the Bodem of Elde led to the emergence of the characteristic gibbous fields in this part of the [[Meierij]]. Some of these fields in this area existed for centuries in the same form and can nowadays be very well identified by their unchanged shape. 
On some of the parts with very [[loam]]y soils in Sint-Oedenrode there were many poplars planted from 1750 on. Between 1760 and 1780 the largest increase in [[silviculture]] took place in the municipalities [[Schijndel]], Sint-Oedenrode, [[Veghel]] and [[Udenhout]]. Following the planting of poplars, the pattern of sand paths and wet stream valley soils were formed which characterizes the [[Meierij]]s "Poplar Landscape" till this day. 
This landscape was in fact purely economic, since the poplar cultivation served the clog industry. The core of this clog industry, and therefore of the poplar cultivation, was mainly formed by the municipalities Sint-Oedenrode, [[Schijndel]], [[Veghel]], [[Liempde]], [[Best, Netherlands|Best]] and [[Boxtel]]. In the nineteenth century Sint-Oedenrode grew again because of this industry, which reached its peak in the first half of the 20th century.
The reclamation of the remaining waste land known as the [[Schijndel]]se Heath, especially the [[Kienehoef]], took place since the 18th century.

[[File:Hazenputten in the Vresselse Bossen during summer.JPG|thumb|The fen the "Hazenputten" in the "[[Vresselse Bossen]]"]]