the mainland by a society for the reclamation of Frisian land from the sea. The dike ran from Holwerd to Buren and was . long. The province and the Dutch realm each paid 200,000 guilders. In the end, it was unsuccessful; the dike did not prove to be durable and in 1882, after heavy storms in the winter, repair and maintenance of the dam were stopped. The dike can still be partially seen at low tide. The dam at Holwerd is the beginning of this dike. In 1940 German troops were ferried to the island and within hours Ameland was under the control of the German Army. Because of its limited military value the Allies never invaded Ameland. The German forces on the island did not surrender until June 2, 1945, almost a full month after the defeat of Nazi Germany. Nature Like all West and East Frisian Islands, Ameland is a unique piece of nature. The profusion of different plants on the island is caused by the immense variety of landscapes. One of the scenic areas is the Oerd, a large complex of dunes which is still expanding by the year. Because of the differing landscapes and types of flora, over 60 different species of birds are sitting there every year. At the eastern part of the Oerd lies a beach plain called the Hon. Besides dunes and beaches, Ameland has some woods, like the Nesser bos ("Wood of Nes"). Transport Most travelers reach the island by ferry from Holwerd in the mainland of Friesland, but there is also an airport near Ballum (Ameland Airport). A bus service connects the ferries from Hollum/Ballum (route 130) and Buren/Nes (route 132). When the sea between Friesland and Ameland is low tide one can walk across (see mudflat hiking). Notable people The following people were born on Ameland: Ritske Jelmera (1383 in Ternaard – 1450) a Frisian chieftain who ruled the island of Ameland , whaler Johannes de Jong (1885 in Nes – 1955), Archbishop of Utrecht 1936/1955 Hannes de Boer (1899 in Hollum – 1982), long jumper, participated in the 1924 and 1928 Olympic Games Sjoerd Soeters (born 1947 in Nes), postmodern architect Pieter Mosterman (born 1967 in Nes), a research Scientist and academic in the USA Jan Bruin (born 1969 in Hollum), retired Dutch soccer player. Gallery References External links Official website The history of Ameland Municipalities of Friesland Islands