Nature in the Netherlands
The Netherlands has a proportionally larger area of aquatic and wetland habitats than other countries in the EU, and a smaller area of terrestrial habitats. On average, the area of terrestrial habitats in other EU countries is three times the size of that in the Netherlands. The pressure on nature in the Netherlands through habitat loss, changes in land use, environmental stress and habitat fragmentation is greater than the average across the EU. Despite this, the area of natural habitat remained more or less the same between 1990 and 2000
Local successes, but still no general recovery
Ecosystem quality in the Netherlands is still suffering from the processes mentioned above. Many plant and animal species are in serious decline. For example, the size of most butterfly populations is shrinking; even the grassland butterfly species are in difficulty. The same goes for arable birds and meadow birds. From an international perspective, the Netherlands carries special responsibility for meadow birds and has taken an active role in their conservation for more than thirty years. Despite these efforts, various species of meadow birds, such as the Black-tailed Godwit, Skylark and Meadow Pipit, are struggling to survive.
There are some success stories as well. Ecosystem quality along the main rivers is gradually but surely improving as a result of better water quality and progress in habitat creation and restoration projects. Characteristic fish species of the Rhine-Meuse delta are increasing in numbers, although these still far short of the numbers found in the past.
The water tables in many nature reserves and conservation areas are too low to support the plant and animal communities characteristic of the natural habitats, and many habitats are exposed to high levels of nitrogen deposition. Since 2000 little progress has been made in restoring drawn-down water tables; conservation managers have indicated the water management regime as presenting a major problem to many types of habitat. A combination of area-based measures and generic and international policies will be required to reduce nitrogen deposition. About 40% of nitrogen deposition on habitats in the Netherlands originates from outside the country.
