Large nature conservation areas needed
It is unlikely that the loss of biodiversity will be halted by 2010 because environmental, water and land use conditions will have to be put right first. The key to this lies in the creation of large contiguous ecosystems.
Despite a few positive trends, the loss of biodiversity has not yet been brought to a standstill. The National Ecological Network (NEN) – the network of protected sites, areas of conservation interest and wildlife corridors – is just part of the solution. Although the area of protected wildlife habitats will have increased once the NEN has been completed in 2018, Dutch nature will remain largely broken up into small areas. The spatial connectivity between these areas will still be insufficient to guarantee a sustainable future for species and habitats, including the species for which the Netherlands has obligations under European Union agreements.
Many marshy areas are fragmented, despite the existence of large core wetlands. Species like the Otter and Great Reed Warbler need large areas to survive. (Photo: Hugh Jansman, Alterra)
Important benefits for nature could be obtained if the NEN policy was employed more effectively to create an interconnected network of large contiguous ecosystems (Figure X). Large areas offer many advantages: they give natural processes the space they need to work properly, they are more able to absorb the effects of extreme weather, and they provide space for species that can only survive in large areas, such as the Sea Eagle. Moreover, it is both easier and cheaper to secure the right environmental and water conditions in large areas.
More internationally important species can survive if large conservation areas are assembled around Natura 2000 areas.
This means that the current boundaries of the NEN will have to be adjusted, and that problematic environmental, water and land use conditions will have to be resolved. This could be achieved by designating zones adjacent to the Natura 2000 areas where agricultural activities and urban development are adapted to meet the requirements of the Natura 2000 areas.
