More nature in the Netherlands? ‘Not only in protected areas, but also outside them’
NOS News•
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Judith van de Hulsbeek
editor Climate and Energy
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Judith van de Hulsbeek
editor Climate and Energy
At the Biodiversity Summit in Montreal posed that 30 percent of all the land and water in the world should kettlebell workout be protected natural areas. All countries must make their contribution. Also the Netherlands. How are we going to get that done?
According to emeritus professor of ecology Louise Vet, it will be a reliable task to get 30 percent protected nature in the Netherlands, but we should not be blinded by officially protected nature. “Wild nature is not just Natura 2000”. If you also want to use fields, there are opportunities in cities and residential areas.
A sustainable neighborhood is under construction in the Overijsselse Olst where they are taking this assignment to heart. Olstergaard is becoming ‘nature-inclusive’, which means that there are strict rules for the houses that are built there. For example, the houses must have a green wall with edible plants (for people and animals), the greenery in the garden must be built in several layers and insect hotels are mandatory. All houses must also have at least three nesting options.
What such a house looks like, and what else happens in the neighborhood, you can see in this video:
People and nature will soon live together in this residential area in Olst
Resident Ruben Stellingwerf has built several nest boxes into his roof facade: for swifts, bats and sparrows. “One on each side of the house,” he says proudly.
At first he wanted to live in Olstergaard because of the sustainability and social character of the neighborhood, but in the meantime he has also learned a lot about biodiversity. “Nature and living don’t have to be separated,” he says.
It sounds very strong, all that ‘should’. But, says Stellingwerf, the idea comes from the residents themselves. The building plans were drawn up under the guidance of experts. “We discuss all plans with each other. For example, we have also decided not to install fences. And those who want to tile something must compensate with rainwater collection.”
‘Still too much thinking in boxes’
According to Professor Louise Vet, the neighborhood in Olstergaard is a good example of ‘nature-inclusive’ thinking. They point out that nature can and must return in many more places. “We still think too much in boxes,” she says. “Yes, more protected nature must be added, but there must also be a lot more green outside.”
Vet is chairman of the Delta Plan Biodiversity Recovery Foundation, in which researchers, together with companies, water boards and nature organizations, decide on solutions for the loss of biodiversity. This year they came up with the landscape elements attack plan. The aim is to designate 10 percent of the rural area for “green and blue landscape elements”, ie nature and water. In this way, they should form connections between nature reserves. This concerns, for example, herb-rich arable lands, hedges, hedges, nature-friendly banks and so on. “Every piece of land has the potential to bring back biodiversity.”
This is how it is now with the part of protected nature areas in the Netherlands and the rest of the world:
Minister for Nature Christianne van der Wal (VVD) also assesses the importance of biodiverse nature in agriculture and in places other than nature reserves. “It starts in the backyard, to green residential areas, green inner cities, with slim connections to nature reserves,” she said yesterday News hour. According to the minister, good agreements were made about this at the summit in Montreal.
But aren’t we going to gather too much nature together? Veterinarian: “In a way it is, but nature is not just a Natura 2000 area. Much more is possible in the Netherlands.”
Don’t forget that extra nature outside nature reserves should not be taken too lightly. According to the ecologist, this already requires a complete change in thinking. It only concerns small pieces of land and it is possible for farmers and private landowners who are hereditary. So the government has to pay for that. “It must be made so financially attractive that they are tempted to restore nature.”