Ditch Day in Gouda

Fishing in a ditch—what’s not to love? In this activity, kids and parents (and grandparents) get to explore on their own. Together with IVN nature guides, you’ll investigate the state of the aquatic life. How clear is the ditch, and what kinds of creatures can we find? An expert will help us identify all these little creatures.

We're doing this by the ditch next to the Food Forest in the Goudse Hout. You're coming too, right?

The Food Forest is located at the intersection of Kale Jonkerpad and Willenskade, just past the wildlife crossing in the Goudse Hout.

Read here to learn all about the different types of aquatic animals and plants, and identify them even more easily with our search card .

Afterward, we’ll enter all our findings on the Waterdiertjes.nl website. For years, this site has been tracking the condition of ditches in the Netherlands. For more information about ditch research, visit Waterdiertjes.nl.

No registration is required.

Biodiversity Week
This activity is part of Biodiversity Week, during which the KNNV Nature Association and many other organizations are hosting dozens of activities across the country from May 17 through 25, including field trips, lectures, courses, and public surveys. In 2025, in addition to the extraordinary nature in our major nature reserves, we will also focus on the “everyday” nature around us—in cities and towns, gardens, and parks, as well as in fields, meadows, and industrial parks. This is also referred to as the “Basic Quality of Nature.” Biodiversity is everywhere!

The United Nations has designated May 22 as the International Day for Biological Diversity. On this day, people around the world reflect on the value and richness of life on Earth. Biodiversity encompasses not only the variation among species, but also the diversity within species—that is, genetic diversity—and the diversity of ecosystems in which all this life thrives.

To introduce residents of Gouda and the surrounding area to the diversity of nature in their local environment, we organize a variety of fun nature activities like this.

The event is organized by KNNV Gouda e.o. and IVN IJssel en Gouwe in collaboration with Tuinambassadeurs Gouda, Velt, Stadsakker Gouda, Buurtgroen Gouda, Heemtuin Goudse Hout, and the City of Gouda. Please check the website in advance to confirm that the activities will take place.