Campsites next to popular Drenthe nature reserves always had a good location. But nowadays they hold their breath, because nitrogen rules and permits make business operations quite difficult.
At camping Torentjeshoek in Dwingeloo they notice this all too well. “We offer an activity where children can go into nature with the forest ranger. But if more than fifty children sign up, a permit must be obtained. Because then it is officially an event and an aerius calculation is required,” says Jurgen Weenink of the camping. “Then nowadays we choose to go twice in smaller groups of forty, because then it is allowed.”
The campsite wants to become more sustainable and received 100,000 euros from the province to realize this. For example, a new shed must be built on the edge of the campsite for animation activities and more power for electric charging stations, among other things. But whether all this will succeed, so close to a Natura 2000 area, is unclear.
“We’ve been working on changing the power supply for three years now. But a small piece goes under the nature reserve, so that’s not allowed. Furthermore, everything has to be done with electric machines instead of diesel-powered devices. Those weren’t there before .”
The company has air heat pumps in the sanitary building and wants to move away from gas. “But that requires electricity and it must come without nitrogen emissions.”
Camping De Noordster is a few hundred meters away. They run into the same regulations. “We are surrounded by nature and that is very beautiful, but it does cause problems with doing business,” explains Bart Dijkstra. He would like to expand the grounds of the holiday park with chalets, but his land is officially a protected Natura 2000 area.
This also means a lot of extra arrangements for the activities at the campsite. “For example, we sometimes have a fox hunt or a ghost tour. It would be nice if you could use a piece of forest for that. But now it all has to be done on site and before 11 p.m..”
Dijkstra is also working on installing a food truck for passing cyclists. The truck enters its terrain, but towards a part of the Dwingelderveld. “Despite the fact that it is on my own property, I still have to make a nature test because extra people may come to it. That is difficult. I understand the rules, but I think we are going a bit too far.”
When the Dwingelderveld became an official National Park about thirty years ago, the first concerns arose at Weenink. “The recreation parks were shaded in red. Are we not wanted then, ask yourself. We want to develop further and excel further. It is a great pity that this is happening. The Netherlands has cut itself into the fingers with the rules. My daughter tastes the company and may want to take it over later. But something will come your way.”
Dijkstra thinks that a conversation and shorter lines of communication with parties such as the municipality of Westerveld, the province of Drenthe and Natuurmonumenten can help. “In this way you can make agreements far in advance. We can already sit around the table with the approach of what should happen in 2024. Of course we have to think about nature, but we also have to think about the companies.”