2023-11-16 09:30:00
It can change. In the summer of 1899, Staatsbosbeheer was established to literally put a stop to the many sand drifts. The largest forest manager in the Netherlands now sometimes cuts down trees, especially in the dunes, to restart natural drift. At the same time, there is still a need for more trees.
Forests make everyone happy, said Nature Minister Christianne van der Wal on Wednesday in Amstelveen, at the opening of the tree planting season on National Arbor Day. Together with director Sylvo Thijsen of the then-anniversary Staatsbosbeheer, she declared 2024 the Year of the Forest.
There must be more forests in the Netherlands, 10 percent more, the minister determined three years ago in the Forest Strategy. The provinces must ensure this. But there is not much progress yet in that expansion. Not all provinces are adhering to the agreement, the Court of Audit noted at the end of 2022. They also have too little knowledge and overview.
In particular, the desire to plant trees outside existing nature reserves, in buffer zones between nature, agriculture and residential areas, is barely getting off the ground. This is mainly due to “the permitting process and planning,” a spokesperson for Staatsbosbeheer explains. The largest forest manager in the Netherlands has planted almost 1,000 of the planned 5,000 hectares of new forest since 2020. To achieve the goal by 2030, “we have to step up our game.” “That is feasible, but we are dependent on provinces and municipalities.”
Also read:
There is no question of wild logging, says the Court of Audit, but forest policy is in chaos
The Netherlands Court of Audit expects that the Netherlands will not be able to plant an additional 10 percent of forests. The authorities lack an overview of forest management.
A ban on logging will not save forests, on the contrary: it is bad for nature
Gelderland wants to save old forests by banning timber harvesting and exotic species. A radical, wrong approach, says John Smits.
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