drought

Analyzes show that counties do not meet targets in the vast majority of natural areas, even if the proposed actions are implemented. Boorman says the measures range from planting forests to raising riverbeds. Bormann says these changes are urgently needed to restore nature. “I looked at findings from 600 pieces of nature in 5 different provinces. Drought is a major problem in Limburg. Some species of animals, like the snake, for example, are no longer found there.”

exotic plants

Also, in many areas there are exotic plants that replace the native plants. The solution is there for some cases, but not for all problems. “There is a solution to some problems. In Limburg, for example, there are many peak cranes, so their emissions must be reduced and then things will improve in the surrounding nature. In fact, the targets will be achieved in 14% of all the nature that we analyzed, but in the rest of the regions It has not been analyzed. We need to take a step forward. This has serious consequences for nature and you can see that things are not going well.”

legal problem

Boorman also mentions the legal issues. “Decades ago, the Netherlands signed the European rules for the protection of nature. These rules also contain a ban on degradation, so nature must not deteriorate and must improve if it gets worse. So more is needed than what is happening now. So the provinces are busy making plans and sending them to Minister Van Der Wall. The intent is for those plans to deal with all of those problems, because we see that they’re all interconnected. It looks like not all counties meet the fetch deadline.”