The Nature Reserve Rode Forest and Laan Valley is a diverse site, covering a small rivulet valley (river Laan) with grasslands and marches, and the adjacent plateau forest of Rodebos. The forest on the plateau consists of acidophylous oak-beech forests. The slope forest habitats are influenced by an aquifer that feeds slope sources. Hydrochemically, the water of this aquifer can be characterized as acid and nutrient poor. The slope displays an acid tolerant vegetation with Sphagnum as well as a more neutrophilic Querceto-Carpinetum. Lower on the slope, also base-rich sources are present, resulting in neutrophylous spring and alluvial forest. The research in this LTER-site focuses primarely on ecohydrology of this forest ecosystem, and forest dynamics in two sampling areas (resp. 1ha and 0.5 ha) within the unmanaged strict reserve area in the northern part of the reserve (23 ha).

consists of a valley part, a slope part and a plateau part.