Introduction In 2009, a start was made with the development of Meerstad, a new extension in the south- eastern part of the town of Groningen. During archaeological prospection flint artefacts were discovered, which on the basis of their characteristics were interpreted as the vestiges of a Mesolithic hunting encampment. During the fieldwork a small depression mainly filled with peat was found at c. 50 m east of this locale (Fig. 1). As this condition greatly increases the possibilities for the registration and detection of human impact on the environment, microfossil analysis of the peat section was undertaken. Although until now such impact has only sporadically been demonstrated for this period, the analysis irrefutably revealed environmental changes related to hunter-gatherer activity. In this paper the Early Holocene vegetation is reconstructed and discussed with special reference to the changes associated with the Mesolithic occupation. The archaeological evidence The excavation was conducted by the Gro- ningen Institute of Archaeology (University of Groningen) in association with the Projectgroep Meerstad and the Municipality of Groningen. In d and the Municipality of Groningen. In a preliminary investigation by Archaeological Research & Consultancy BV (ARC, Groningen) Mesolithic flint artefacts had been found, but a dense concentration could not be pinpointed. The 2009-campaign started with the removal of the topsoil, during which a small flint scatter was found on the surface of the cover sand. This area was excavated in 50x50 cm squares and sieved over a 4 mm mesh. In order to obtain information about the smaller fraction a sample was taken from each square and sieved over a 1 mm mesh. During the fieldwork students counted and administrated the finds, which allowed for the production of roughly real-time distribution maps. This proved to be very useful in determining the boundaries of the cluster. In this section we present some preliminary results based on the outcome of the fieldwork, since the final study is still in preparation. The site contains more than 3,300 pieces of flint, amongst which are around 70 microlithic points, triangles and backed bladelets (Table 1). Figure 2 shows that a dense cluster of flint is located in a shallow depression. The cluster reveals a more or less circular campsite of around 7 m in diameter. The borders of the distribution are sharply defined. Four hearth-pits were found within these borders. Approximately 25 hearth-pits encircled the site at a distance of 10 to 20 m. In at 24 Camping and foraging in Boreal hazel woodland – The environmental impact of Mesolithic hunter- gatherers near Groningen, the Netherlands Henk Woldring 1 , Mans Schepers 1 , Jeroen Mendelts 2 & Richard Fens 3 Abstract : Approximately 700 years of human impact (c. 8200-7500 BP) were identified in an organic deposit located at short distance from a Mesolithic hunting encampment at Meerstad near the town of Groningen (The Netherlands). Pinewood and hazel-wood, successively, dominate during the time of occupation (Zone 2). The impact of the hunter-gatherers includes small-scale forest clearance and the presence of shrubs and herbs growing in open, grassy and disturbed places. The increase of coprophilous fungi indicates herbivore concentrations in the camp area. Micro-charcoal was present throughout the core, with highest estimates during Zone 2. Charred macroscopic plant remains provide evidence for the burning of the local vegetation. Hazelnuts were part of the diet of the hunter-gatherers. The Meerstad area was largely abandoned in consequence of increasingly wet conditions and the restoration of woodland at c. 7500 BP. Typologically, the flint equipment can be dated to the Boreal. The absence of artefacts characteristic for the Atlantic, such as trapeze- shaped flint tips, is discussed. Keywords: Mesolithic, Netherlands, Groningen, human impact, hazel-wood, vegetation disturbance, coprophilous fungi, fire, food resources. Part III – The Mesolithic & Neolithic