News item | 19-12-2023 | 09:40
In 2022, steps will have been taken for new nature and nature quality, but acceleration remains necessary to achieve the nature goals. This is evident from the ninth Nature Progress Report in which the national government and the provinces jointly report on nature policy in 2022.
The report provides an overview of the progress in realizing the agreements in the 2013 Nature Pact, but also on the progress of the Forest Strategy, Nature Inclusive Agenda, nature in the National Waters and the Nature Program. The Nature Progress Report shows that improvement in the quality of nature is necessary on various points.
Nature design
Last year, the provinces created 2,944 hectares of new nature within the framework of the Netherlands Nature Network. That is approximately 1,000 hectares more than in 2021. That is a good development, but the pace of developing new nature must increase considerably to achieve the agreed 80,000 hectares in 2027. Since January 1, 2011, a total of 48,511 hectares of new nature has been created. That is 61% of the final goal (80,000 hectares).
Nature quality
Nature is the basis of everything that lives. But not only the size of nature is important, but also its quality. Looking at the objectives of the Birds and Habitats Directives, approximately three quarters of the Habitats Directive species and 90% of the habitat types are in an unfavorable condition. Governments and land management organizations are working to strengthen nature through various channels, such as the National Rural Area Program, the Nature Inclusive Agenda 2.0 and the approach to basic quality of nature. The EU Nature Restoration Regulation also requires additional measures to restore nature.
Forest strategy
This Nature Progress Report is the first quantitative report on the implementation of the national Forest Strategy of the national government and the provinces. A total of 823 hectares of new forest was created in 2021 and 2022. In addition, 1,861 hectares of natural forest have been created, often by converting existing forests into forests with more natural values. By implementing the Forest Strategy, we contribute to goals in the areas of nature, climate and recreation.
Realization strategy
To provide additional encouragement for the design of new nature, the provinces and the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV) have been working together since 2021 in the Taskforce to accelerate the design of the Netherlands Nature Network. Ten of the twelve provinces have drawn up a realization strategy in which they indicate how they can accelerate the construction of new nature. The other two provinces, Gelderland and Flevoland, indicate that they can achieve their task for the Netherlands Nature Network in a timely manner with the current strategy and have therefore not drawn up a realization strategy.
Nature Pact and Nature Network Netherlands
The Nature Pact agreed in 2013 meant a far-reaching decentralization of nature policy from the national government to the provinces. The first ambition was to expand the Netherlands Nature Network by creating 80,000 hectares of new nature in the period up to 2027. The aim of this was to improve biodiversity.