Towns and Cities, Growing Greener Horst aan de Maas’s landscape is home to Horst aan de Maas is known for agriculture and residential villages nestled in breathtaking nature tourism, with visitors coming to take in the city’s as well as ample agricultural and commercial areas. nature and surrounding villages.

Horst aan de Maas at a Glance

Horst aan de Maas is situated in the north of the Province, the southernmost province of the . The biggest municipality in the Limburg Province in terms of surface area, Horst aan de Maas covers a total surface area of 19,192 ha with 42,000 inhabitants. Its vast landscape is home to residential villages nestled in breath-taking nature as well as ample space for economic activity in large-scale agricultural and commercial areas. In Horst aan de Maas, pride in tradition thrives alongside ambitious plans for the future.

A Newly United Municipality ‘Enterprising by Nature’ Modern day Horst aan de Maas is the result Horst aan de Maas prides itself as being an of two rounds of enlargements. In 2001, enterprising, active and united municipality three municipalities, Broekhuizen, Horst and where many of its initiatives are derived by Grubbenvorst, merged together, adjoining the citizens. It is no surprise the municipality’s river Maas and thereby getting its current name. slogan is ‘Enterprising by Nature’. Horst aan de The second round welcomed the municipality Maas is also known for its modern agriculture, of and the villages Meerlo, Tienray horticulture and tourism. For instance, 33% of and Swolgen in 2010, thus creating Horst aan all mushrooms, 80% of all roses and 50% of de Maas as we know it today. The relatively new all blueberries produced in the Netherlands municipality consists of sixteen urban cores originate from the municipality. Thousands of with their own identity, resulting in a unified yet tourists visit Horst aan de Maas every year for diverse community. nature holidays, to visit its idyllic villages and the equestrian centre De Peelbergen. Images left and right ©Horst aan de Maas Municipality

1 Spotlight on Horst aan de Maas

• Participated in Floriade in 2012, the largest • Is home to the Greenport Bikeway, HadM’s horticulture expo in the world first bicycle highways with about 30 kms of bike paths • Won the Dutch Waste Separation Award three times in the past five years • 81% of inhabitants are 300m away from a green public space • Produces the lowest amount of residual waste per person in the Netherlands • 60 red-listed species living in the region are protected by the municipality • Reduced CO2 emissions by 264 kg per inhabitant, compared to 151 kg in the • Won 1st Bee-friendly Municipality title in the rest of the Netherlands in 2014 Limburg Province

Horst aan de Maas, a Green City

Climate Change Nature, Biodiversity and Energy Performance and Sustainable Land Use The glass-horticulture sector represents Given Horst aan de Maas’s strong agricultural 42% of energy consumption in the municipality roots, the municipality encourages farmers and thus a concerted effort has been made to to research how to produce sustainably and make the sector more sustainable through the how to withstand any effects of climate change use of renewable heat, or geothermics. As a on production. For instance, Horst aan de result, Horst aan de Maas is the first place in Maas encourages farmers to collect their the South of the Netherlands to successfully own water and to sow a mixture of flowers apply geothermics to the glass-horticulture on their farm’s borders. industry; leading to a 95% decrease in Air Quality CO2 emissions in pepper cultivation, which Horst aan de Maas has implemented various consequently means that this sector hardly initiatives to improve the municipality’s air depends on fossil fuels anymore. quality. As livestock farming is one of the largest Sustainable Urban Mobility sources of air pollution, the municipality repaired The municipality has an extensive bicycle and and dismantled industrial buildings and farms. public transport network and has taken a wide This resulted in a consistent decrease in air range of actions to encourage cycling, shared pollution in the municipality. Horst aan de Maas transport and electric vehicles. The city involves also undertook a study into intensive livestock its citizens in the effort to transition away from a farming and air quality to understand their car dependent culture, for instance through the exact health effects to improve the air quality Trendsportal initiative, which provides a platform for its citizens. for residents and transport professionals to discuss the future of mobility in the city.

2 Horst aan de Maas is the first place in the South of the Netherlands to successfully apply geothermics to its largest industry, Fifty percent of Horst aan de Maas’s City Hall is run the glass-horticulture industry. on solar energy, serving as an example to its citizens.

Waste and Circular Economy Water Horst aan de Maas launched an innovative, more Horst aan de Maas has implemented several sustainable and efficient waste system after positive programmes for water management, extensive consultation with stakeholders. This including sustainable and recreational measures new system resulted in a waste decrease of and climate adaptation measures against 150kg per inhabitant since implementation and flooding. Horst aan de Maas’s dedication to an increase in waste recycling from 69% to 96% disconnecting rainwater from sewers has between 2012 and 2015. allowed citizens to use rainwater instead of drinking water for their gardens, resulting in 6,000m² of rooftop water being permanently Image in the bottom right corner disconnected from the sewage system. ©Paul Poels Fotografie All other images on two pages ©Horst aan de Maas Municipality

Brightbox is a pioneering farming initiative which The Ooijen-Wanssum area is being remodelled to produces food without actual farmland or daylight. widen the River Maas with extra dikes to decrease the water level by 35 centimetres.

3 Citizens will be at the heart of Horst aan de Maas’s Becoming the Healthiest Region in Europe is a European Green Leaf 2019 year. priority for Horst aan de Maas, ensuring citizens are involved and listened to.

Horst aan de Maas, European Green Leaf 2019

To reflect the importance of collaboration for Horst aan de Maas and their history of active citizenship and entrepreneurship, Horst aan de Maas wants to engage citizens, companies and public authorities alike throughout their European Green Leaf 2019 year. Planned events and activities in 2019 will reflect the European Green Leaf topic areas, including mobility, nature, and transitioning from fossil fuels to sustainable energy, as well as promoting health and wellbeing.

Citizens at the Heart Leaf network of cities. By working closely with of a Sustainable Society these green cities, Horst aan de Maas aims to As part of Horst aan de Maas’s European inspire as well as bring together local companies Green Leaf 2019 year, the municipality and citizens to exchange experiences and plans on engaging and stimulating citizens environmental best practices into the future. to get involved. They will be doing this by Healthiest European Region supporting local sustainable initiatives like Horst aan de Maas is also endeavouring to EnergieKronenberg (citizens who aim to make become the healthiest region in Europe in 2025. their village energy self sufficient by 2030) and This will require cooperation and collaboration connecting European Green Leaf events with across an extensive network of businesses, existing local and citizen-led events, such as educational institutions and local citizens, who ‘800 years of Horst’ and the ‘Oud Limburgse brought the citizens’ initiative forward. Horst aan Schuttersfeest 2019’, in the hopes of stimulating de Maas plans on implementing a programme and supporting its citizens to drive even more of activities, such as a Health Café where local sustainable initiatives. companies and inhabitants meet and talk about Sharing Environmental Best Practice various topics, such as producing and eating Horst aan de Maas has a long-term vision to healthy food. For more information see the contribute to and leverage the European Green website www.gezondsteregio2025.nl. 4 European Green Leaf Award Winners Winnaars van de European Green Leaf Award

• Cornellà de Llobregat 2019

• Horst aan de Maas 2019

• Leuven 2018

• Växjö 2018

• Galway 2017

• Torres Vedras 2015/2016

• Mollet del Vallès 2015/2016

• Växjö

• Galway

• Horst aan de Maas • Leuven

Mollet del Vallès • Torres Vedras Cornellà de Llobregat European Green Leaf Award European Green Leaf Award The European Green Leaf Award is a De European Green Leaf Award is een wedstrijd competition aimed at towns and cities gericht op steden in heel Europa met tussen across Europe, with between 20,000 and up de 20.000 en 100.000 inwoners, die de to 100,000 inhabitants, which recognises a inspanningen van gemeenten voor het milieu city’s commitment to better environmental erkent. De Eurepean Green Capital Award is outcomes. It is the partner competition of voor steden met meer dan 100.000 inwoners. the European Green Capital Award for cities Horst aan de Maas in Nederland en Cornellà over 100,000 inhabitants. Horst aan de Maas de Llobregat in Spanje zijn de gezamenlijke in the Netherlands and Cornellà de Llobregat European Green Leaf Award winnaars 2019. in Spain are the joint European Green Leaf In 2018, waren Leuven in België en Växjö in Award winners for 2019. In 2018, Leuven in Zweden de gezamenlijke European Green Leaf Belgium and Växjö in Sweden were the joint Award winnaars. De Spaanse stad Mollet del European Green Leaf Award winners. The Vallès en de Portugese stad Torres Vedras Spanish city of Mollet del Vallès and the waren de winnaars van de inaugurele European Portuguese city of Torres Vedras were the Green Leaf 2015/2016, gevolgd door de Ierse winners of the inaugural European Green Leaf stad Galway, die de titel won in 2017. Award 2015/2016, followed by the Irish city of Galway, who won the title in 2017. De European Green Leaf en European Green Capital Awards zijn initiatieven van de The European Green Leaf and European Green Europese Commissie. Bezoek voor meer Capital Awards are initiatives of the European informatie over de winnaars, hoe deel te Commission. To find more information about nemen aan de Awards, over hoe de winnaars the winners, how to apply for the Awards, how worden geselecteerd en voor eventuele the winners are selected, and for any other andere vragen onze onderstaande website. questions, please visit our website below.

ec.europa.eu/environment/europeangreenleaf Towns and Cities, Growing Greener cover image ©Horst aan de Maas Municipality Maas de aan ©Horst image cover PDF Print KH-04-18-874-2M-N KH-04-18-874-2M-C ISBN 978-92-79-96541-8 ISBN 978-92-79-96540-1 doi:10.2779/9947 doi:10.2779/762309

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