Discover the twenty gems of Dutch nature

National Parks in the Netherlands NATIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION In 2005 the twenty National Parks in the Netherlands joined together to form the National Parks Foundation, a partnership between the parks and the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, the National Forest Service, Natuurmonumenten, the 12 National Landscapes, the Federation of private landowners and the IVN Association for Environmental Education. As well as promoting cooperation among the Parks, the aim of the Foundation is to improve the quality of the Parks and raise their profi le. It plans to achieve this by: - promoting exchange of knowledge and experience between Parks; - setting up and coordinating joint projects; - looking after the interests of the National Parks system; - encouraging public involvement in National Parks.

For more information please see www.nationaalpark.nl

THIS PUBLICATION IS FUNDED BY THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, NATURE AND FOOD QUALITY 1 DISCOVER THE TWENTY NATIONAL PARKS OF THE NETHERLANDS

We are all familiar with the concept of National Parks. Large parks like the Krügerpark in South Africa and Yellowstone in the United States are well known around the world. The Netherlands also has twenty beautiful National Parks and though they may not be as large as these famous examples overseas, they are no less valuable. Their combined size is considerable, amounting to 130,000 hectares, or more than 3% of the land area of the Netherlands.

National Parks are important, because nature allows us space to relax and enjoy our surroundings. The aim of the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality’s policy is to protect and develop nature, and make it more accessible to visitors, working closely with civil society, business and private individuals. By promoting the experience of nature in National Parks the Ministry wishes to make people more aware of the great importance of nature to their welfare.

The strength of our National Parks lies in the collaboration between the many parties involved: owners, managers, municipal and provincial councils, businesses and local interest groups. By joining forces they have more infl uence than the Parks would have by themselves and are so able to generate more support. People living near the Parks are proud of them and appreciate the healthy green living environment they provide, as well as the wonderful opportunities for recreation, and attractive location for business. People are simply happy to be there.

The twenty National Parks provide fi ne examples of typical Dutch landscapes with nature of international signifi cance. They are the gems of Dutch nature policy and are located throughout the Netherlands, so people never have to travel far to visit one. Here you can experience the nature of the Netherlands to the full. There are opportunities for walking, cycling, horse riding, canoeing, visiting information centres, excursions with the park ranger; in other words, active relaxation in nature.

I hope this brochure will help people to get to know the Parks better. It contains a brief summary of our National Park policy and a short description of each Park and how you can fi nd more information.

We invite you to discover the twenty National Parks of the Netherlands. Dutch nature at its best.

Gerda Verburg Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality 2 CONTENTS Foreword 1 National Parks, twenty of nature’s gems in the Netherlands 3 Enjoying the twenty National Parks 3 Location of National Parks 4 Nature conservation and nature development 5

National Parks Schiermonnikoog 6 Lauwersmeer 8 De Alde Feanen 10 Drents-Friese Wold 12 Dwingelderveld 14 Drentsche Aa National Landscape 16 Weerribben-Wieden 18 De Sallandse Heuvelrug 20 Duinen van Texel 22 Zuid-Kennemerland 24 De Biesbosch 26 De Hoge Veluwe 28 Veluwezoom 30 Utrechtse Heuvelrug 32 Oosterschelde 34 Loonse en Drunense Duinen 36 De Zoom-Kalmthoutse Heide 38 De Groote Peel 40 De Maasduinen 42 De Meinweg 44

The Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality and the National Parks 46 Partnerships 46 Land Managers in the National Parks 47 Public information and education: the IVN Association for Environmental Education in the Netherlands 48 National Parks and National Landscapes 48 3 NATIONAL PARKS, TWENTY OF NATURE’S GEMS IN THE NETHERLANDS National Parks, wherever they may be in the world, are the most beautiful and valuable nature reserves we have. In the Netherlands there are twenty of them. Exceptional areas, that invite you to come and discover nature. They show a different side to the Netherlands, where hectic daily life gives way to peace, space and exquisite nature. Here you can take long walks and cycling trips, often in total seclusion.

Two of our National Parks were created some time ago. The Veluwezoom was set up in 1930 by private individuals and the Hoge Veluwe in 1935. The other 18 National Parks were established by the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality from 1989. The fi rst was Schiermonnikoog in 1989 and the last De Alde Feanen, which in 2006 completed the system of National Parks. The Kennemerduinen National Park, founded in 1950 by several government bodies, became the Zuid-Kennemerland National Park in1995. The Weerribben-Wieden Nationaal Park was created in 2009 by extending the Nationaal Park de Weerribben into the neighbouring area of De Wieden.

Nature pays no attention to national borders. The Zoom-Kalmthoutse Heide Border Park lies partly in the Netherlands and partly in Belgium. The Meinweg National Park is located in the Netherlands, but forms part of the Dutch-German border Park Maas- Swalm-Nette.

ENJOYING THE TWENTY NATIONAL PARKS Nature in the Netherlands offers a huge diversity of landscape. Within the National Parks system each Park represents one aspect of the diversity of Dutch nature. Entry to the National Parks is free* and they attract millions of visitors every year. Here you can enjoy the silence of wide heath, carr woodland, dynamic drifting sands, moving islands, meandering brooks, still bog pools, expansive woodland, intertidal mudfl ats, rare raised bog and other natural elements typical of the Netherlands. The Parks cover a total of 130,000 hectares. The Oosterschelde with its 37,000 hectares is the largest and the Groote Peel the smallest with 1,340 hectares.

In the Netherlands a National Park is defi ned as an area of nature of at least 1,000 hectares, with a characteristic landscape and special plants and animals. You may encounter wild animals, both large and small: red deer, seals, beavers, cranes, bats, ringed snakes and moor frogs. There are many rare plants to be seen, like orchids, sundew and marsh clubmoss. All the parks provide recreational activities geared to nature and education. There are many walking and cycling paths, bridleways and canoeing routes, hides, lookout posts, seating, signposting and information panels. Most Parks have one or more visitors centres. Many Parks have specially adapted trails for the less mobile. You can set out on your own, join a guided excursion or take part in one of the other organised activities.

* With the exception of De Hoge Veluwe, where the entrance fee includes extras, like the use of White Bikes and entrance to the Museonder. 4 LOCATION OF NATIONAL PARKS

Schiermonnikoog Lauwersmeer

GRONINGEN De Alde Feanen Drentsche Aa

Duinen van Texel Drents-Friese Wold

Dwingelderveld

Weerribben-Wieden

Zuid-Kennemerland

AMSTERDAM

HAARLEM De Sallandse Heuvelrug

APELDOORN ENSCHEDE De Hoge Veluwe UTRECHT ‘S-GRAVENHAGE Veluwezoom

Utrechtse Heuvelrug ARNHEM ROTTERDAM

NIJMEGEN De Biesbosch Oosterschelde De Loonse en Drunense Duinen

BREDA TILBURG De Maasduinen EINDHOVEN

De Zoom-Kalmthoutse Heide De Groote Peel

De Meinweg 5 De Meinweg

NATURE CONSERVATION AND NATURE DEVELOPMENT The National Parks have four key objectives: conservation and development of nature and landscape; nature-based recreation; public information and education; research. Conservation of individual nature areas is important, but conservation alone is not enough. Rare animals and plants are at greater risk of becoming extinct in small isolated areas. The Dutch Government has recognised the importance of linking up these nature areas by establishing the National Ecological Network. The Network is planned to cover 728,000 ha by 2018, 18 per cent of the surface area of our country. An additional 6 million hectares of wet landscape, formed by lakes, rivers, the North Sea and Wadden Sea, complete the picture.

Nature in the Netherlands is almost entirely manmade. If we let nature take its course certain types of nature will disappear. Here, people and nature are mutually dependent. Nature recreation and nature conservation are thus perfect partners in our National Parks system. 6 FACTS Location The province of Friesland • Size 5,400 ha • Managed by Natuurmonumenten • National Park since 19 July 1989. • For more details please see www.np-schiermonnikoog.nl

Schiermonnikoog

Schiermonnikoog: a whole island as National Park, shaped by wind and water. It is a dynamic area of stunning landscape. Landscapes and views change constantly and new dunes are formed all the time.

The name of the island comes from the Cistercian monks,the original owners. They wore grey (Schiere) habits and settled here in the Middle Ages (oog is an ancient word for island). The island is famed for its stunning nature. The nature areas in this most northerly of the Wadden islands were the fi rst to receive offi cial National Park status in 1989.

The Wadden islands are known as moving islands. Sand and mud are washed up on the eastern edges of the islands, while the west is continually subject to erosion, and slowly but surely 7 Common shelduck Common

THE COMMON SHELDUCK IS A HOLE-NESTING BIRD Schiermonnikoog: With its red bill, white and An entire island as a national park chestnut body, dark green head and neck the common shelduck is a striking bird. The drake has a little knob on its bill. Shelducks often use deserted rabbit burrows or the islands shift in an easterly direction. New dunes form on other holes underground to the eastern side. With the tip of Schiermonnikoog now reaching build their nests. For four the Province of Groningen, the border between Friesland and weeks the female remains Groningen had to be re-drawn in 2005. Here the North Sea inside sitting on a clutch of embraces the widest sandy beaches in the Netherlands. 8-12 eggs, while the male stays outside, keeping watch. Schiermonnikoog National Park is rich in rare species. In the The chicks face a hazardous dune valleys you may come across grass of Parnassus, seaside journey when they try to centaury and various species of orchid in bloom. The salt reach the water from nesting mudfl ats support salt-loving species like salicornia, sea aster, sites far inland and many common sea-lavender and annual sea-blite. The Park also perish on the way. The attracts birds, with the spoonbill, common shelduck and hen common shelduck feeds on harrier using the island as their nesting site. In winter its small fi sh and invertebrates, polders and mud fl ats are home to thousands of geese. The including insects, slugs and absence of foxes on the island means the many ground nesting crustaceans. The shelduck birds fi nd a safe haven here. Through binoculars you may see has become the logo for the seals basking on the sandbanks off the island’s west coast. Schiermonnikoog National The common porpoise may also be spotted here. Park.

The island is a bird watcher’s paradise and a haven for those in search of peace and quiet. Motorised vehicles are not allowed here but the western part of the island has an extensive network of walking and cycle routes. Further east where there are no paths or tracks, visitors can enjoy untamed nature, expansive views and peace. There is a visitors centre in the one village on the island. 8 FACTS Location The provinces of Groningen and Friesland • Size: 6,000 ha, 2,000 ha of which is open water • Managed by Staatsbosbeheer and Natuurmonumenten • National Park since 12 November 2003 • For more details please see www.np-lauwersmeer.nl

Lauwersmeer

Lauwersmeer National Park: new nature, some of it no older than a couple of decades, in an area reclaimed from the sea. A magnifi cent Park, rich in water, shaped by man and nature. A Park still under development as salt water makes way for fresh water.

The Delta Works, a series of constructions built after the fl ood of 1953 to protect the country from the sea, included a dam in the Lauwerszee built in 1969. With the dam in place, salt water from the Wadden Sea no longer entered the Lauwerszee twice a day, effectively turning Lauwerszee into a lake, Lauwersmeer. Different soils produce different vegetation. Once the area was closed off, dune vegetation like sea buckthorn and eglantine began to cover the sand fl ats, while the mud fl ats sprouted wide swathes of water mint with its strongly aromatic leaves. Initially, only salt-loving species like salicornia and common sea lavender could thrive on the salty soil. 9

BEWICK’S SWAN COVERS ENORMOUS DISTANCES In summer Bewick’s swans Bewick’s swan breed in the Arctic tundra across northern Russia, where the lakes are rich in food. The birds migrate to spend the winter in lowland areas like Lauwersmeer, four thousand kilometres away. Whilst overwintering, Bewick’s swans form very large fl ocks. They feed on the roots of fennel pond weed, the leftovers of the sugar beet harvest and grass from neighbouring meadows.

Lauwersmeer National Park: salt water makes way for fresh water

As fresh water from the rivers runs into the lake and the soil loses its salinity, marsh fl eawort begins to appear. In spring when the grass of Parnassus, seaside centaury, marsh helleborine and other species of wild orchid are in bloom, the landscape becomes a blaze of colours.

Lauwersmeer is one of the most important bird habitats in western Europe. It is the nesting site of rare breeds like Montague’s harrier, sand martin, bearded reedling and bluethroat. The shallow, open water is the foraging ground and resting site for the many overwintering geese and fi sh- eating birds, like grebe, red-breasted merganser and common pochard. Common shelduck and waders use the shallow waters as resting and foraging sites. A newcomer to the area and one likely to stay is the white-tailed eagle, also known as the sea eagle, a huge bird whose 200-250 cm wingspan, has earned it the nickname ‘fl ying barn door’.

Recreational facilities in and around the park are increasing. There are plenty of walking, cycling and wheelchair routes. In summer it is one vast water sports arena and a great place for anglers. The deeper water is freely accessible to boaters and in the autumn and spring migratory season the Park is a bird watchers’ paradise. There are hides and observation hills. 10 FACTS Location The province of Friesland • Size 4,000 ha, 425 ha of which is open water • Managed by It Fryske Gea • National Park since 26 April 2006 • For more details please see www.np-aldefaenen.nl

De Alde Feanen

De Alde Feanen National Park (alde faenen means old fens) combines quaking mires, reed meadows, former turf ponds, levees, carr woodland, marsh marigold, hay meadows and marsh ponds. It is one of the most beautiful fens in north-west Europe, the wet heart of Friesland harbouring rare animal and plant species.

Peat developed after the last Ice Age when temperatures rose and the ice started to melt. This created expansive marshlands where water and intertidal plants began to grow. The dead plant matter did not fully decompose and over the centuries a thick layer of peat formed. Peat served as fuel and was dredged from long trenches and dried on narrow strips of land. In the early days of peat extraction these strips were so narrow that they were swept away in heavy storms which created large ponds. 11 Bluethroat

BEARDED REEDLINGS VEGETARIANS ONLY IN WINTER After the last of the peat diggers had left, the resulting The birds are easily recognised landscape was bleak. In 1934 It Fryske Gea began buying up by their conspicuous black the land to allow nature to reclaim the site. Pioneer plant moustaches starting from the eyes communities began gradually invading the water and new land and extending downward. Females was formed. In 2006 De Alde Feanen became the latest reserve are less conspicuous. This species to gain offi cial National Park status in the Netherlands. is a wetland specialist, breeding colonially in large reedbeds by lakes or swamps. It eats reed De Alde Feanen National Park: aphids in summer, and reed seeds One of the most beautiful fens in winter, with its digestive system actually changing to cope with the in north-west Europe very different seasonal diets. The stomach wall becomes fi rm and sinewy as in other seed eaters. This fen is rich in plants and animals due to the peaty soil The bird does not have to migrate and variety of landscape. It supports more than four hundred south. In severe winters when and fi fty different plant species including bog orchid, one of many bearded reedlings fall victim therarest orchid species in the Netherlands. It is home to to the cold, the female is known to twenty species of fi sh, including the rare bullhead or miller’s lay three or four clutches of eggs. thumb. The Park is also the breeding site for more than A single pair may have as many a hundred different species of marsh birds, meadow birds and as twenty offspring a year. waterbirds, including the water rail and bittern and the bearded reedling, a peculiar small perching bird that has become the Park’s logo. In autumn and winter the lakes and pools are used as resting sites for gadwall, wigeon, common pochard and tufted duck. In spring marsh harriers and rail build their nests in the reed beds. In 2008 the otter was spotted in the area again for the fi rst time in decades.

De Alde Feanen is very popular with bird watchers who make use of the many hides. This wide expanse of water can best be explored by rowing boat, silent electric boat or canoe. In winter when the water is frozen over, the perfect way to explore the fens is on ice skates. Visitors can also explore the area on foot

or by bicycle. The National Park visitors centre is in Earnewald. Bearded reedling 12 FACTS Location The provinces of Drenthe and Friesland • Size 6,100 ha • Managed by National Forest Service, Natuurmonumenten, Drentse Landschap, de Maatschappij van Weldadigheid and about eighty private landowners • National Park since 22 July 1999 • For more details please see www.np-drentsfriesewold.nl

Drents-Friese Wold

The Drents-Friese Wold National Park is the second largest area of woodland and heath in our country. It comprises a variety of open and enclosed landscape, part dry, part wet, partly in Drenthe, partly in Friesland.

The monolithic tombs and burial mounds in the Park indicate that this area was already inhabited in prehistoric times. The settlers would have been hunters and farmers. These ancient people would fell a piece of woodland when they needed land. Eventually human activity exhausted the soil, leaving only one or two shepherds surviving with their fl ocks. The sheep also made their mark on the land. More and more heath disappeared, leaving only sand drifts. A hundred years ago much commercial woodland was planted to anchor the sand. These uniform conifer plantations are vulnerable to high wind and provide little variety. They were later replanted to form more natural woodland. The unique sand drifts were also restored. 13 Woodland was felled around Aekingerzand, and the wind once again has free reign over the sand. Large herbivores have been introduced to prevent vegetation encroaching on the sand again.

The Park contains diverse landscapes: as well as sand drifts and various types of woodland, it has wet heaths, dry heaths, bog pools and grassland. It is vital to conserve the area’s Drents-Friese Wold characteristics. At Doldersum a shepherd tends his fl ock to National Park: keep the heathland open. The old winding route of the Vledder Aa has been restored so that water is retained in the area for the second largest longer and nature can recover. By maintaining a higher area of woodland groundwater level, species that were practically extinct, like the sundew and the bog asphodel, are beginning to reappear. and heath in The European stonechat and the curlew breed in the heather. the Netherlands In the woodlands you may spot the black woodpecker, the badger, the polecat, the stoat or the pine marten. One rare species to be found in the bog pools is the great crested newt.

More than a million people visit the Park every year. There are visitors centres in Diever and in Appelscha, also the starting point for many signposted cycle trails, footpaths and bridle paths. There are also special ATB routes and a number of lookout towers in the Park.

BLACK WOODPECKER The logo of the Drents-Friese Wold is the black woodpecker, the largest wood- pecker in the country. This shy bird appears mostly in old woodland with much deadwood, where it feeds on insects that it pecks out of the wood. In uniform commercial woodland its food supply is limited. The bird has almost completely disappeared from the western part of the Netherlands and is now mainly found in woodlands in the sandy soils in the east and south-east. The black woodpecker drills its nest in an old beech tree or red oak. Black woodpeckers 14 FACTS Location The province of Drenthe • Size 3,700 ha, including 1,500 wet heath • Managed by the National Forest Service and Natuurmonumenten. • National Park since 22 August 1991. For more details please see www.np-dwingelderveld.nl

Dwingelderveld

Dwingelderveld National Park is the largest area of wet heath in western Europe, containing more than 60 pools and bog beds. This man-made landscape has developed into a much loved area of natural landscape.

By the end of the Middle Ages over-cultivation had transformed the original landscape of forest and raised bog into heathland used for grazing sheep. When sheep manure was replaced by artifi cial fertilisers, sheep were no longer kept on the heath. Around 1900, farmers were allowed to develop this so-called wasteland for agriculture. This involved lowering the ground- water level, which was disastrous for the many plant and animal species living here. To return the Park to its nineteenth century landscape, it has been necessary to remove the turf and introduce intensive grazing. 15 Dwingelderveld National Park: The largest area of wet heath in western Europe Adder

NATIVE SNAKES Large herbivores have been introduced for this purpose: cattle The adder is the best known and two fl ocks of Drentse heideschapen, a rare Dutch sheep breed. of the three native snake species, and the only The poor soils provide an ideal habitat for many wild plants. poisonous one. It grows to There are hundreds of species, including the rare marsh gentian 50-70 cm and has reddish- and sundew. Remarkable too are the striking juniper shrubs brown eyes with a vertical whose silhouttes have given rise in many local legends about pupil. Adders occur mainly ghostly ladies. The commercial woodland planted at the in wet heath and raised bog. beginning of the 20th century which covers part of the The smooth snake is Dwingeldersveld is now largely being replaced by more natural thinner, brown to grey in woodland. colour, with smooth scales, yellow eyes with a rounded All native species of snake are found in the park, the adder, pupil. It is found in dry ringed snake and smooth snake. The common lizard, the heath. The ringed snake is natterjack toad and great crested newt are three of the the longest of the three and interesting species to be found here, along with thirty species may grow to over a metre of dragonfl y and the Alcon blue butterfl y. The numbers of long, the females slightly wheatear, which nests in old rabbit holes, are declining larger than the males. because of a reduction in the rabbit population. Ringed snakes usually live close to water. Snakes mate The Dwingelderveld is extremely popular and attracts over in April and the young are 1.5 million visitors a year, here to enjoy the many kilometres born at the end of the of cycle trails, walking and bridle paths. The visitors centre summer. All species are gives a fascinating picture of the area’s history and is the ovoviviparous, that is, the starting point for excursions, along with the orientation centre eggs remain within the near Spier and information centre at Lhee. At several locations mother’s body until they are you can watch the birds from hides. There are two sheepcotes about to hatch. at Ruinen and Lhee. 16 FACTS Location The province of Drenthe • Size 10,600 ha • Managed by National Forest Service, Natuurmonumenten, farmers, boermarke organisations, Het Drentse Landschap Foundation, Hunze and Aa‘s water authorities, private landowners • National Park since 4 December 2002 • For more details please see www.drentscheaa.nl

Drentsche Aa National Landscape

The Drentsche Aa National Landscape is the best preserved lowland stream valley in western Europe. Nature and landscape have co-existed here for thousands of years.

In prehistoric times this was an excellent place for hunters and farmers to work, live and bury their dead. Burial mounds, megalithic structures (hunebeds) and ‘celtic fi elds’, small arable plots from the Iron Age, still bear witness to this. The area is characterised by the freely meandering brooks and valley streams. Roughly one third of the Park area is dedicated to nature, the rest is arable land. 17 Kingfi shers Kingfi

NATIONAL PARK AND NATIONAL LANDSCAPE The Drentsche Aa National Landscape The landscape was shaped is the best preserved lowland stream by the Drentsche Aa. While brooks and streams were valley in western Europe deepened and straightened all over the Netherlands in the last century, the The farms clustered around village commons and the typical Drentsche Aa was left open fi elds characterise this area. Through it all meanders the untouched and still fi nds its Drentsche Aa, not actually a single stream but a confl uence of way unhurriedly through the many different brooks. The villages were devoted to sheep landscape. The old small- farming, with fl ocks scattered over the large expanses of scale landscape was thus heather during the day. Now these fi elds of heather have largely preserved. The Park has 16 disappeared. The Ballooërveld and Casterse Duinen are all that small villages and hamlets remain. The sheep spent the night in barns where the manure within its boundaries. Two- was collected and spread on the sandy fi elds. As a result the thirds of the area is devoted fi elds were raised over time. The stream valleys were used as to agriculture. This makes hay meadows that produced winter feed. the Park special: it is more than just a nature reserve. The many streams are fed by rainwater and water seepage. The National Park is part of This has produced a wide range of vegetation including such the Drentsche Aa National species as spiked rampion, juniper and several species of Landscape which covers orchid. The area is also rich in fauna, supporting many butterfl y 30,000 ha. species, dragonfl ies and damselfl ies. The banded demoiselle, a large blue-black damselfl y, is particularly striking, laying its eggs on emerging or fl oating plants. The brooks are home to river lamprey, spined loach and the great crested newt.

A million visitors come here every year to enjoy the area’s rich natural and cultural heritage: the traditional villages, the fi elds, the woodlands and heathlands, hedgerows, bog pools and fl owering meadows. The area has cycle routes, footpaths and tracks where you can drive your own horse-drawn covered wagon. This is also where we fi nd Strubben-Kniphorstbosch, the only archaeological reserve in the Netherlands. Visitor information points are located at Anloo and near the sheepcote on Ballooërveld. 18 FACTS Location The province of Overijssel • Size: 10,500 ha • Managed by National Forest Service, Natuurmonumenten and others • National Park since 24 June 1992 (Weerribben), to be incorporated on 1 January 2009 in Weerribben-Wieden National Park • For more details please see www.np-weerribbenwieden.nl

Weerribben-Wieden

Weerribben-Wieden National Park: Europe’s largest freshwater marshland. Rare species. An area shaped by peat digging : the peat cut in long trenches forming channels and leaving narrow strips of land to dry the extracted peat sods, and large ponds.

Up to the fi rst quarter of the twentieth century turf digging was the main source of income in this area, until extraction of the ‘black gold’ became no longer profi table. Boat-using farmers have long kept their cows here but now it is reed cutting which brings in the money. In some places the vegetation, like the fringed water lily, shows that the area once bordered the sea. Clay deposited on the peat after breaches of the dike has encouraged a variety of vegetation. 19 Otters

REINTRODUCTION OF THE OTTER A species very much at Weerribben-Wieden National Park: home in the Weerribben- Europe’s largest freshwater marshland Wieden National Park is the otter, now the Park’s logo. At the beginning of the last century otters used to be quite common in the area A regular regime of mowing, dredging and cleaning the ditch but by 1988 they were banks helps conserve the rare species which favour the area. thought to have become The purple heron, bittern, bearded reedling, sedge warbler extinct in the Netherlands. and reed warbler use the larger stretches of perennial reed as In 2002 otters were nesting sites, which is why some of the reed is left standing. reintroduced into the area Small mills called tjaskers, were used to drain the area, and the fi rst pups were nowadays water has to be pumped into the area for the born two years later. The reed beds to thrive. reintroduction seems to have been successful but its In 2002 the otter was reintroduced to this wetland area, as continued success depends the last otter had disappeared from the Netherlands in 1988. on the quality of the habitat: The reintroduction has proved a success. The area also hosts a large uninterrupted area of the largest grass snake population in the Netherlands. And it clean water and an adequate is the only place where a subspecies of the large copper, the food supply. batava, can be found. Many bird species, sometimes rare, like bittern and western marsh harrier, also fi nd a home here.

In winter people go skating in the National Park, in summer, a trip in a canoe is the best way to explore the area. Alternatively, visitors can enjoy the peace and quiet of the landscape in a silent electric boat. There are special boating routes equipped with moorings and picnic sites as well as cycle routes and footpaths. Birds can be observed at close quarters from hides. More than a million people visit the Park every year. More information on the area can be found at one of the visitors centres in Ossenzijl, Kalenberg or St. Jansklooster, or in the nature museum in Zwartsluis. 20 FACTS Location The province of Overijssel • Size 2,740 ha • Managed by the National Forest Service and Natuurmonumenten, land owners and private individuals • National Park since 16 October 2004 • For more details please see www.np-desallandseheuvelrug.nl

De Sallandse Heuvelrug

De Sallandse Heuvelrug National Park: from the top of the Sallandse Hevelrug hills a panorama of dry heathland and coniferous and broadleaf woodland unfolds. The highest point, the Koningsbelt, is 75 metres above sea level. Peace, space and undulating landscapes characterise this Park.

The hills of the Sallandse Heuvelrug were formed during the ice age. Continental ice pushed the land upwards and this was covered by a layer of wind-blown sand. In many places this poor soil still forms the basis for existing vegetation.

After the ice ages woodland developed on the hills. In the stone age hunters and farmers settled on the higher land where it was drier. 21 Black grouse De Sallandse Heuvelrug National Park: peace, space and undulating landscape

BLACK GROUSE ON THE HOLTERBERG The black grouse has almost vanished from the Netherlands but its last stronghold is the Holterberg. This very vulnerable population can only survive with great diffi culty as its habitat is shrinking and its feeding grounds are drying out. Fifteen to 25 pairs are able to live in the Park thanks to special heathland management. An attempt is being made to extend the bird’s habitat by joining up the various stretches of heathland in the area.

Their burial mounds can still be found there. Later settlers cleared the woodland for farming and the result is a mainly heathland landscape. Sheep grazing kept the heathland open. Most of the present woodland was planted in the last century for timber. Plants that thrive here are the lingonberry or cowberry, heather, juniper berry and several types of moss like the scarlet cup lichen.

Roe deer, badgers, beech martens and weasels live in the Park, which is also home to the sand lizard. The crested great newt and smooth newt are found in the bog pools and holes. Interesting birds are the woodlark, nightjar and stonechat. But the rarest is the black grouse which until recently occurred only in the Sallandse Hevelrug and has been chosen as logo for the park. The moor frog and a number of unusual butterfl ies live on the heathland, the small pearl-bordered fritilliary, the green hairstreak, the grizzled skipper and the silver-spotted skipper.

The hills provide an attractive area for relaxation. These undulating hills receive more than a million visitors each year, especially walkers and cyclists. In Nijverdal there is a National Forest Service visitors centre and near Holten there is a natural history exhibition containing more than 500 species. At Haarle, Natuurmonumenten has an information centre and exhibition space De Pas. 22 FACTS Location The province of Noord-Holland • Size 4,300 ha • Managed by the National Forest Service and the Ministry of Defence • National Park since 1 May 2002 • For more details please see www.np-duinenvantexel.nl

Duinen van Texel

Duinen van Texel National Park has a wide variety of landscape: wet dune slacks, dry dunes of shifting sand, woodland, heath and areas of salt marsh. Texel combines expanses of shore and sea with the intimacy of woodland and dunes. It has a wide, thirty-kilometre-long beach.

Since 1630 a sand dyke has linked the Eijerlandsche Duinen in the north to the southerly part of the island. In the dunes between these two areas is the Slufter, a tidal area where water from the North Sea pushes up through the channels and runs deep into the dunes. It is one of the few places in our country where the sea is allowed to fl ood onto the land.

Many traces of human activity can be found in this expanse of dunes. There is evidence of sand excavation, loose sand dyke construction and plot cultivation. There is a great diversity of landscape and nature. 23 Spoonbill

SPOONBILLS ON TEXEL There are only a few places There are dunes of drifting sand as well as wet dune slacks, in Europe where spoonbills home to water-loving plants like the water mint. There are dune breed. The Netherlands is heaths and dune woodland. At de Hors, an enormous sandbar, the northern-most breeding dunes are continually being formed. Other places on the island area for the spoonbill. Texel also change their appearance under the infl uence of wind and has three colonies which sea. Moreover, humans have adapted nature to their needs. breed in the dense A uniform conifer woodland planted at the beginning of the 20th vegetation of the reed century has now been transformed into more varied woodland. margins. In the autumn the In de Slufter we fi nd salt-loving species like the sea aster and spoonbill migrates to Africa samphire. Sea thrift thrives here too. Around dune water courses via Spain, a journey of up to we fi nd the marsh marigold. Other places are home to various two months. It eats small species of orchids and the delicate bog pimpernel. fi sh which it catches by waiving its spoon-shaped bill from side to side in The Duinen van Texel National Park shallow water. A few brings together the expansiveness decades ago this species was almost extinct in the of sea and shore with the intimacy Netherlands, now we have of woodland and dunes. more than a thousand breeding pairs.

The spoonbill, logo of the Park, and about eighty other species, including the rare short-eared owl and little tern, breed happily here. There are three spoonbill colonies. Many geese and other migratory birds overwinter on Texel. Interesting animal species are the root vole, water shrew and natterjack.

Each year the Park is visited by fi ve million people, who mainly come to walk or cycle along the extensive network of paths and cycle tracks. There are several camp sites within the Park. The visitors centre is located in the popular centre for the Wadden Sea and North Sea, Ecomare. 24 FACTS Location The province of Noord-Holland • Size 3,800 ha • Managed by National Forest Service, Natuurmonumenten, Noord-Holland Water Company • National Park since 21 November 1995 • For more details please see www.np-zuidkennemerland.nl

Zuid-Kennemerland

Zuid-Kennemerland National Park: a green oasis in the hectic Randstad urban network. Beach, calcareous dunes, historic estates and inland dune woodlands. This is one of Europe’s most beautiful dune areas.

Wind, and windblown sand, this is how this National Park came about. During the late Middle Ages the 5-kilometre wide dune area served as hunting grounds for the nobility. In the seventeenth century rich merchants built their country estates here in the sheltered area behind the dunes, with attractive parks and water features. Some of these country estates lie within the Park’s boundaries. In the 1950s the central government, Noord-Holland provincial authorities and the municipalities of Amsterdam and Haarlem founded Kennemer-duinen National Park. In 1995 this became part of Zuid-Kennemerland National Park. 25 Grass of Parnassus

RESTORATION OF THE WET DUNE VALLEYS Water extraction in the Zuid-Kennemerland National Park is one Kennemerduinen goes back of Europe’s most beautiful dune areas to the end of the nineteenth century. It soon became clear that the lower water tables were wreaking havoc Water extraction in the last century radically changed the on the landscape: trees died area’s nature and landscape. Wet dune valleys, pools and the down and the wet valleys characteristic vegetation disappeared as groundwater levels disappeared. After the dropped, and it was not until the end of the last century that Second World War the water extraction was brought to a halt. With the restoration dunes were infi ltrated with of groundwater levels, plant and animal species that had water from the river Rhine to disappeared returned. The parnassia fl ower blooms again and secure the water supply for so do the three different species of centaurium and various Amsterdam. This water, species of orchid. Stinzen fl ora (plants from old country estates which was to be purifi ed by and farms that have gone wild) like the common blubell, wild the dunes, allowed the garlic and the purple mourning widow, a geranium variety, groundwater to reach its growin the woodland of the inner dune margins. Shetland original level but as it was ponies, Konik horses and Scottish Highland cattle have been full of nutrients, grasses and introduced to the site to keep the landscape open. plants invaded the previously low-nutrient Other animal species found in the area are sand lizard, the dunes. Further reduction of Queen of Spain fritillary, a butterfl y of the Nymphalidae family, water extraction will bring and ringed plover. Nightingales build their nests here and back the original dune valley the fox has returned after having been exterminated by rabbit vegetation and the wet hunters in the 1970s. Bats overwinter in former ice cellars valleys will be restored. and bunkers.

The Park attracts two million visitors a year, mainly visitors wanting to enjoy the many footpaths, cycle routes and bridle paths laid out in the area. The Zandwaaier visitors centre near Overveen, housed in the former pumping station of the Haarlem Water Company, an industrial monument from 1898, is at the centre of the Park. 26 FACTS Location The provinces of Noord-Brabant and Zuid-Holland • Size 9,000 ha • Managed by National Forest Service, Directorate-General for Public Works and Water Management • National Park since 10 March 1994 • For more details please see www.np-debiesbosch.nl

De Biesbosch

The Biesbosch National Park: one of Europe’s most important freshwater tidal areas. Water from the North Sea and the rivers Rhine and Meuse give the area its dynamic nature; mud and the work of human hands have shaped it to its present form.

The notorious St. Elizabeth’s Flood of 1421 formed this land- scape of rivers, creeks, carr woodlands, willow beds, reed beds and grasslands. The fl ood swallowed the entire Groote Waard, with its 16 villages. In later centuries parts of the area were reclaimed. The Biesbosch is still a dynamic area, although the dams built as part of the Delta Works have reduced the tidal range to no more than a few decimetres. 27 Beaver

THE BEAVER IS BACK It is thought that the last of the beaver population in the Netherlands was killed in De Biesbosch National Park: 1826. In 1988 beavers were one of Europe’s most important reintroduced in the area and the population is growing freshwater tidal areas steadily. There are now almost 150 beavers in the Biesbosch living in some 60 Deposition of the sand and silt carried along by the water lodges. This largest of made it possible for pioneer plant communities to settle in European rodents thrives in places which fell dry at ebb tide. First it was bullrush, to which this habitat. In summer it the area owes its name. Halfway through the nineteenth feeds on plants, in winter on century much of the area had been reclaimed and people began bark, leaves and tree shoots to plant willow and other coppice trees. They gave the area its such as willow. Their lodges characteristic appearance. When coppicing stopped at the end are made of huge piles of of the 1970s the trees developed into dense willow woodland. sticks, pieces of tree-trunk and mud, usually with an The area supports 600 different plant species including underwater entrance. A a variety of marsh marigold, which cannot be found in any beaver’s average lifespan is other part of the Netherlands, and triangular club rush. The 8 to 12 years. birds using the area as their nesting site include the kingfi sher, golden oriole and bluethroat. The white-tailed eagle is spotted every year. In 1998 the beaver was re-introduced and the area now supports dozens of beaver lodges. The water is home to fi fty different species of fi sh.

The area is best explored by boat. Every year the Park receives more than half a million visitors, most of them by boat. There are also some footpaths. The Park’s visitors centres can be found near Dordrecht and Drimmelen. Cycle routes were laid out along the Park’s fringes. In De Elzen forestry centre lies Twintighoeven Museum, where visitors can learn about the area’s natural and cultural history. The Biesbosch Museum is in Werkendam. 28 FACTS Location The province of Gelderland • Size 5,400 ha • Managed by De Hoge Veluwe National Park Foundation • National Park since 1935 born from private initiative • For more details please see www.np-dehogeveluwe.nl or www.hogeveluwe.nl

De Hoge Veluwe

De Hoge Veluwe National Park: a unique combination of nature, art and architecture. Dark woodland, peaceful bog pools, sand drifts, extensive grasslands. Home of red deer, roe deer, badger, wild boar and moufl on and the setting for the world famous Kröller-Müller Museum.

In creating the museum, the wealthy Kröller-Müllers realised their dream and combined Anton Kröller’s love of nature and hunting with his wife Helen Müller’s great art collection. The museum stands in the most beautiful and the best-known nature reserve in the Netherlands. In 1935 De Hoge Veluwe National Park Foundation was created and the area became our country’s second National Park. The art collection was donated to the State and a museum was built to house the artworks. 29 Red deer

THE ROAR OF RED DEER Autumn sees the start of The Hoge Veluwe National Park: the red deer rutting season, a unique combination of nature, when the biggest and strongest stag rounds up art and architecture a group of hinds for mating. In order to maintain control over a group of females the The undulating landscape was formed during the Ice Age. stag must drive away rivals In the Middle Ages it was a densely wooded area until large- and will announce his scale logging for ship-building cleared the area of its cover superiority over other males and the sandy surface soil was blown away causing sand drifts. by constantly bellowing out The wind-battered Scots pines with their crooked shapes grew an echoing roar. Sometimes from wild seedlings and give the area its very own character. such roaring is not enough, and contenders need to be From 2007 efforts have been made to reintroduce black chased off. Fights between grouse which had become extinct here; work on the creation males may break out. Males of a suitable biotope has been in progress for thirty years. The of about 12 years old are at raven has been back since 1969 after having been extinct in the the height of their powers Netherlands for decades. Other birds include night jar, wryneck and then stand the best and wheatear. Rare plants found in the area are marsh gentian, chance. The antlers of bog asphodel and bog or wild rosemary. fi ghting stags become easily entangled. They may be The Foundation is independent and does not rely on any injured during a fi ght but subsidies. The Park must generate its own income and rarely kill each other. Calves therefore relies on the entrance fees paid by visitors. This are born at the start of income is used for the benefi t of the Park’s nature and art. the following summer. Visitors can use the Park’s fl eet of 1700 white bicycles at no extra cost.

The Park receives more than 500,000 visitors a year. There are footpaths, cycle routes, GPS and bridle paths, but visitors are allowed to stray from them. Additional admission fees apply to the Kröller-Muller museum with its spectacular sculpture garden. The Park also boasts an underground museum, the Museonder, showing life underground, and a landscape garden. There are wildlife meadows and autumn is the season to watch one of nature’s great spectacles - deer rutting. 30 FACTS Location The province of Gelderland • Size 5,000 ha • Managed by Natuurmonumenten • National Park since 1930 from private initiative • For more details please see www.natuurmonumenten.nl >natuurgebieden>Gelderland>Nationaal Park Veluwezoom

Veluwezoom

The Veluwezoom National Park: a unique landscape of wood- land, heath and sand dunes characterised by hills and spectacular views. From the Posbank, a hill of almost 100 metres, the woodland of the Onzalige Bos stretches out to the north; to the south the broad panorama of the IJssel valley.

This area was formed by ice-age glaciers that pushed up the land and deposited gravel and boulders. The hills became covered with woodland, but felling and over-grazing exhausted the soil. What remained was known as ‘the wasteland’, mostly dunes and heathland. Later the area was partly planted with conifers for timber. The process of transforming it to a more varied woodland is now in full progress. Some sections are around 150 years old and resemble primeval forest. 31 Gorse

HEATHLAND MANAGEMENT Before the days of artifi cial Veluwezoom National Park: fertiliser, farmers cut peat a unique landscape of woodland, heath from the heathland. This they mixed with sheep and sand dunes. droppings from the stalls used by the sheep at night. The mixture was used to fertilise their fi elds on the In the Netherlands we treasure our main heathlands, as poor sandy soil. Peat-cutting little of the great, silent heath now remains. The heathland and grazing ceased when in the Park is grazed by heathland sheep and Icelandic ponies. artifi cial fertilisers came into In most of the Park nature is allowed to take its course. Scottish use. Grass encroached upon highland cattle graze alongside red deer, fallow deer and the heathland, which then wild boar. Wood is not felled for timber and there is no other became covered with trees management intervention. The result is a unique and and shrubs. Icelandic ponies surprising natural landscape. and sheep are now keeping the vegetation in check. A number of man-made water courses run through the Park. Stands of Scots pine are With the coming of the steam engine water was no longer removed by volunteers. necessary to drive the mills, and these courses fell into disuse. In recent years many of these water courses have been restored and are attractive habitats for the kingfi sher and for plants like the ranunculus ololeucos and saxifrage.

This Park, established in 1930, is the oldest in our country and has a famous tourist attraction: the Posbank. This nature area with its hilly landscape is very uncharacteristic of the Netherlands. It provides stunning views of the vast heathland which in summer is covered in a carpet of purple right across the Posbank. The Park attracts around two million visitors each year. In Rheden there is a visitors centre which marks the starting point of signposted walking and cycling routes and bridle paths. 32 FACTS Location The province of Utrecht • Size 6,000 ha • Managed by the National Forest Service, Het Utrechts Landschap, Natuurmonumenten, Recreatieschap Utrechtse Heuvelrug and private landowners. • National Park since 11 October 2003 • For more details please see www.np-utrechtseheuvelrug.nl

Utrechtse Heuvelrug

The Utrechtse Heuvelrug National Park is made up of a wooded glacial ridge formed in the ice-age. The Park landscape includes heathland, peatland, sand dunes, poor grassland and the washlands of the Nederrijn. It is an area of woodland, country estates and undulating hills.

The higher areas of the Park were settled in prehistoric times, where people sought a safe home away from the large rivers. We fi nd traces of the area’s rich history in the many burial mounds, remains of arable plots, signs of tobacco cultivation, estates and castles. The geological history of the area is celebrated by a monument in Maarn, constructed from the erratic boulders carried here by Scandinavian glacier ice. 33 Pine marten

ESTATES After the road from De Bilt The Utrechtse Heuvelrug National Park: to Rhenen was paved in an area of woodland, country estates 1815, the area around the ridge attracted wealthy and hills merchants from Amsterdam and Utrecht who built their country estates here. The 69 metre Amerongse Berg is the highest hill. In the Beautiful houses with Middle Ages people farmed crops and cattle on the hillsides. landscaped gardens in the Intensive use of this land resulted in the creation of sand English style were created, dunes and heathland; reforestation in the nineteenth and complete with fountains, twentieth centuries anchored the soil and once again rocks and follies, mostly to transformed the appearance of the glacial ridge. In the be enjoyed in the summer nineteenth century wealthy merchants from Amsterdam months. Since then the area and Utrecht built their country estates around the south- has been known locally as western edge of the ridge. the Stichtse Lustwarande, or Garden of Delight. There are The badger and pine marten live out of sight in the Park. about 80 sites on the The badger makes its home in sets under the ground, the Utrechtse Heuvelrug where marten in treetops. Among the hundred or so bird species these estates remain. that live here are the black woodpecker, the raven and the bluethroat. The little bittern, a marsh bird, can be found around the old castle of Amerongen. Here too are rare plants like the sundew and marsh gentian.

The many roads and paths which cross the area form a barrier for the fl ora and fauna. We have tried to improve the situation by removing fencing, creating green corridors, ecoducts and fauna passageways. The extensive network of paths provides plenty of opportunities to explore the area by bike or on foot. A network of bridle paths is also being developed and there are several camp sites and recreation areas within the Park. 34 FACTS Location The province of Zeeland • Size 37,000 ha • Managed by the Directorate-General for Public Works and Water Management, municipal authorities, Zeeuwse Eilanden Water Authorities, National Forest Service, Natuurmonumenten, Het Zeeuwse Landschap and Zeeland provincial authorities • National Park since 8 May 2002 • For more details please see www.np-oosterschelde.nl Oosterschelde

Life dictated by the rhythm of the tides and the seasons. Oosterschelde National Park offers peace and quiet, light and air. It is the resting, foraging and breeding site for thousands of birds. Numerous plant and animal species have made it their home, underwater and on and around the dikes. The mussels, oysters and lobsters from Zeeland are famous.

For centuries the sea and the inhabitants of Zeeland have made the area into what it is today. After the North Sea Flood of 1953 a storm surge barrier was built in the Oosterschelde to protect a large part of the Netherlands from fl ooding. The four-kilo- metre long section has huge sluice-gate type doors that can be closed in adverse weather. The barrier is normally open, allowing salt water to enter the estuary and much of the tidal movement to be maintained. 35 Hermit crab

IS THE TIDE COMING IN OR GOING OUT? Oosterschelde National Park • Watch the dikes and always changing harbour poles in the water. At low tide you will see bands of shells and weeds Sand fl ats and mudfl ats exposed at low tide are the domain of attached to them. thousands of foraging, migrating and breeding birds, of waders • At low tide you can see like avocet, redshank, oyster catcher, and plover. At high tide the sand and mud fl ats many birds move to the salt marshes, and the polders and • When the tide is coming in streams behind the dikes. Lovely nature areas can be found the buoys lean landward, along the dikes on the landward side, but also on the clayey when the tide is going out foreland soils. Oosterschelde National Park is an important they lean towards the resting site for seals. Many plants like sea lavender, salt sand storm surge barrier dam. spurry and salicornia depend on the vulnerable balance in • The tidal movement can the fresh and salt water transition zone. also be seen at the storm surge barrier. When the The Eastern Scheldt harbours an unexpectedly multicoloured tide comes in the water underwater world. The sandy seabed is home to the common surges and boils on its brittlestar, the sea anemone Sagartiogeton undatus, fl atfi sh, journey inland, when the shrimp, shellfi sh and all kinds of worms. It is also home to tide goes out the surges seahorse, cuttlefi sh and even dead man’s fi ngers, a soft coral. are on the seaward side. The boulders along the dikes and dams are used as a hiding If there is no surge at all place for crabs and lobsters. White or orange plumose the tide is neither coming anemone, attached to rocks, as well as mussels, sea squirts, in nor going out. seaweeds and algae are found here. Moorings, piers, the undersides of boats and even ropes hanging in the water get covered by marine growth in no time. There is life everywhere.

The area is a great place for boating. Walkers and cyclists will have to explore the area using the dikes, although some tidal mud fl ats are accessible in wellies. Children can go beach combing under the watchful eye of a guide. There are also opportunities for snorkeling, birding and boat trips. The former work island Neeltje Jans is now part nature reserve and has a visitors centre. With a bit of luck you may even spot harbour porpoises in the estuary. 36 FACTS Location The province of Noord-Brabant • Size 3,400 ha • Managed by Natuurmonumenten and Brabants Landschap • National Park since 28 March 2002 • For more details please see www.np-deloonseendrunenseduinen.nl

Loonse en Drunense Duinen

Loonse en Drunense Duinen National Park: the second largest area of sand drifts in western Europe. The Brand area is carr woodland with reed beds and lush grassland. In spring, wood anemone, lesser celandine and cuckoo fl ower lend colour to the soil.

The Park is the result of the forces of nature and the work of man. By the end of the Middle Ages much of the vegetation had disappeared following the intensive use of the soil. When the wind began to blow away the surface soil, drift sand areas emerged sometimes covering entire villages, like the hamlet of Efteling. Over the last two centuries trees were planted to anchor the soil, but with little success. 37 Badger

BADGERS Despite being given National Park De Duinen Loonse en protected status in 1949, Drunense: the second largest shifting the badger nearly became extinct in the area. In 1999 sand area of Western Europe the badger was reintroduced in the Park and now there are dozens of families living Nowadays trees on the heath and on small farm lands are cut in extensive setts with to give the wind free play and preserve the unique landscape. entrances on different levels The dunes were used as military training ground up to the and a maze of tunnels early 1990s and occasionally ammunition is still discovered. linking up different chambers Other historic fi nds include prehistoric tools. and passages. Badgers feed on worms and insects and The Brand area is a remnant of the low-lying, marshy land- move vast quantities of earth scape typical of this part of the country. When the Zandley when digging their setts. stream fi lled with sand it prevented the river from emptying Sleeping and breeding into the Maas and the area became a soggy marsh. This evolved chambers are furnished to peat which was then dug for fuel. The area stayed wet and is with grass and fern leaves. now an excellent feeding ground for the badger. The rare tree Some setts are known to be frog and great crested newt also favour this biotope, as do several hundreds of years many birds, like water rail and bluethroat. Owls, orioles and old. Setts are often used by bullfi nch build their nests in the old woodlands of the other animals like mice, Plantloon estate. weasels, rabbits and foxes.

This area, known as the Brabant Sahara, is visited by one and a half million visitors a year. A third of the Park’s area is sand where visitors can roam freely but there is also a network of footpaths, cycle routes and bridle paths. There is a special ATB route for permit holders. Digital information panels can be found at some of the entrances to the Park. 38 FACTS Location Partly in the province of Noord-Brabant and partly in Belgium • Size 3,750 ha • Managed by the National Forest Service, Natuurmonumenten, Agentschap voor Natuur en Bos, Natuurpunt and private landowners. • National Park since 17 July 2001 • For more details please see lnformatiewww.np-dezoomkalmthoutseheide.nl

De Zoom- Kalmthoutse Heide

De Zoom-Kalmthoutse Heide National Park is a cross- border park between the Netherlands and Belgium containing many different biotopes. It has inland dunes, coniferous and broadleaf woodland, wet and dry heath and bog pools.

After the ice age, prevailing westerly winds blew the Schelde river dunes over the Brabantse Wal. This created a dune massif that reached far inland. Bog pools formed in places. Over time the dunes were covered with woodland and the pools fi lled with peat. By the end of the nineteenth century, felling and peat- cutting had transformed the area into a wide expanse of silent heath, a wasteland characterised by dunes of drifting sands and bog. 39 Round-leaved sundew

SMUGGLERS AND POACHERS De Zoom-Kalmthoutse Heide: At one time this border area a cross-border nature reserve was the home of smugglers and poachers who would bag a rabbit or smuggle butter or cigarettes to earn Later the heath was planted with commercial woodland or a little extra cash. Frans reclaimed for agricultural use. There are still a few small and Sjef were two poacher farms in the Park. Some of the existing bog pools formed in friends, until Frans became old bomb craters left from the Second World War. a gamekeeper. Frans realised that Sjef was up Mechanical peat-cutting and the introduction of large to his old tricks, and not herbivores retains the Park’s open landscape and preserves wanting to fi ne him, he the heath. Rare plants like the marsh gentian and the bog warned him by writing a asphodel grow in the wet areas. Other rare plants found message in the sand “Sjef, here are the brown beak-sedge, the marsh clubmoss and the time to stop”. When he later insect-eating small sundew. The sundew excretes a substance asked Sjef whether he ever that forms in drops on its stalked leaves to attract and trap still went rabbit-hunting, insects. Sjef answered “not since the rabbits learned to write”. The bog pools are home to a rich variety of bird life. The rare nightjar nests in the Park. This is the only place in Belgium or the Netherlands where the bird occurs in these numbers. The black-necked grebe, the wheatear and woodlark all make their home here as do the amphibian moor frog, the great crested newt, the palmate newt and the alpine newt.

This Park of hills and dales sited partly in the Netherlands and partly in Belgium contains a network of hiking trails and is encircled by bridle paths and a cycle route. The De Vroente nature centre in Kalmthout serves as the Park’s visitors centre. 40 FACTS Location The provinces of Limburg and Noord-Brabant • Size 1,340 ha • Managed by the National Forest Service and several private landowners. • National Park since 1 July 1993 • For more details please see www.np-degrootepeel.nl

De Groote Peel

De Groote Peel: the smallest National Park in the Netherlands, where peat cutters have made way for birds and walkers. A wide, deserted landscape where visitors use raised walkways to access the area. An area of space and peace, in an broad landscape of still, dark lakes.

After the last ice age, the area remained wet, becoming fi rst fl at bog and later raised bog. At one time it was covered with a 30,000 hectare carpet of bog mosses. People and animals avoided the area as the ground was too boggy for them to walk on. In the nineteenth century almost all the raised bog was dug away for peat and the unique landscape disappeared in the ovens of the peat burners. Management is now aimed at preserving the open character of the area by actively discouraging tree growth. 41 Cranes

CRANES IN THE WETLAND De Groote Peel is an internationally recognised De Groote Peel: wetland, a large wet land- the smallest Park in the Netherlands scape that is very important for birds, especially because where peat cutters have given way of its location on inter- to birds and walkers national fl yways. About a hundred species breed in the Park and it is visited by countless migratory birds De Peel was largely developed for agriculture, but this during the spring and stopped in 1951 when De Groote Peel became a nature autumn migrations. The reserve. New raised bog is now being formed in places crane is one of the most where peat moss grows. characteristic visitors during the autumn migration. Parts De Groote Peel is a paradise for birds, and an internationally of the Park are closed during recognised wetland. Almost a hundred species breed in this this period to leave the birds relatively small area, including the bluethroat, the black tern, in peace. the grasshopper warbler and the black-necked grebe. De Groote Peel is an important resting place for migratory birds. One of its most impressive visitors is the crane. The still water provides the ideal breeding site for many dragon-fl y species. The area is home to many rare species such as the large chequered skipper, and the moor frog, a unique species where males colour blue during the mating season. Rare plants to be found here include the small sundew, club moss, blue gentian and bog rosemary.

The Park can only be visited on foot along the old sandy paths made by the peat-cutters, or by using the raised walkways. There is a look-out tower a mile from the visitors centre. All the walks start from the visitors centre. 42 FACTS Location The province of Limburg • Size 4,200 ha • Managed by Limburgs Landschap, Bergen municipal council, National Forest Service and private parties • National Park since 30 October 1996 • For more details please see www.np-demaasduinene.nl

De Maasduinen

De Maasduinen National Park is 25 km long but nowhere more than a few kilometres wide. Here we fi nd the longest and oldest river dunes in the Netherlands, almost thirty metres high in some places. The Park is characterised by undulating heathlands, freshwater pools, broadleaf and conifer woodland.

The landscape was shaped by the river cutting its way through it. This happened at various levels and a number of terraces can be distinguished. When the ice age was followed by periods of drought the bed of the River Maas, which is fed by rainwater, fell dry. The exposed sand on its eastern border was blown westward by the prevailing winds, forming dunes. These were later covered by woodland and used by the area’s prehistoric inhabitants to grow crops and graze their animals. The land was used so intensively in places that the vegetation disappeared and the sand drifts returned. 43 Marsh gentian

ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDS De Maasduinen National Park: Archaeological fi nds reveal the longest and oldest river dunes that this area was inhabited 6000 years ago. The in the Netherlands inhabitants were what we call Bell Beakers, after their distinctive bell-shaped pottery. In 1930 a large Over the last century trees were planted, mainly fi r, to keep burial site was discovered the soil in place, but sand drifts can still be found in the Park. with around 100 graves. The heath is preserved by sod cutting, and sheep, goats and De Scherpenheuvel with cattle are put out to pasture to ensure the preservation of a diameter of 24 m and this rare landscape. three metres high is the biggest burial mound in The crane – the Park’s logo – sometimes uses the Park as the Netherlands. It is called a resting site on its migratory route. Rare breeding birds include the king’s grave. When the the kingfi sher, oriole, night jar and red-backed shrike, which as heathlands were reclaimed a breeding bird has almost disappeared from the Netherlands. in the nineteenth century, Nine different bat species live in the Park and the beaver has around a hundred of these settled here spontaneously. The Park also supports weasel burial mounds were and ermine and the very rare common spadefoot. Rare plants destroyed. include Marsh gentian, the carnivorous common sundew, water purslane and marsh St. John’s-wort.

De Hamert estate received its national park status on 30 October 1996. The park area was then extended northward and re-named De Maasduinen. The Park attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. A visitors centre is planned; guided tours are organised and there are walks and cycle routes. Some routes provide wheelchair access. 44 FACTS Location The province of Limburg • Size 1,700 ha • Managed by National Forest Service, Roerdalen municipal council and private parties • National Park since 8 June 1995 • For more details please see www.np-demeinweg.nl • Borderpark Maas-Swalm-Nette www.grenspark-msn.nl

De Meinweg

De Meinweg National Park: the steep inclines and 50m differences in height are caused by fault lines in the earth’s bedrock. The Park is almost entirely enclosed by the German territory of the Maas-Swalm-Nette Border Park.

Prehistoric fi nds in the area confi rm it has long been inhabited. In the early Middle Ages people used the area to collect timber, keep animals and hunt deer and wild boar. In the days of Napoleon the commons fell to the municipalities and the area was fragmented further by the sale of land to a great many private parties. Reforestation started at the end of the nineteenth century to halt the encroachment of heather moorland. Scots pine, much used in the mining industry, was the tree of choice. Today pine monocultures are being replaced by mixed woodland. 45

FREE ROAMING WILD BOAR A large population of wild boar live unhindered in De Meinweg and roam freely across the border on German territory. The females (sows) and their offspring live in groups called sounders, while the boars lead solitary lives. They become active at dusk and by day rest or sleep among the young fi r trees. As wild boar may cause damage to farmers by uprooting their crops, a number of fi elds in the Park have been planted with maize, which is part of their diet.

De Meinweg National Park: unique terraced landscape with trees, brooks and heathland

Three fault lines, the best-known of which is the Peelrand line, divide the area into four terraces. At the foot of the fault lines the water comes to the surface to form freshwater pools. The Park is criss-crossed by small streams and brooks with clean gravel beds where brook lamprey and spined loach thrive.

Twelve of the sixteen protected amphibians that are native to our country can be found in the Park, including common spadefoot, alpine newt and palmate newt. The Park hopes to ensure their conservation by improving their biotope. The viper, the Park’s logo, can be found in the wet heathland, as well as the rare smooth snake. Badgers had not been seen for decades but returned a few years ago. De Meinweg is also home to wild boar. Rare plant species found here are the poisonous common lousewort, bog asphodel and large bittercress.

The Park has walks and forty kilometres of bridle path. Cyclists can enjoy the 23 km dedicated cycle route, marked out with large river boulders. De Meinweg, the Park’s visitors centre, is in Herkenbosch. The Park receives a million visitors a year. 46 THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, NATURE AND FOOD QUALITY AND THE NATIONAL PARKS The Ministry of Agriculture in the Netherlands is in charge of a system of National Parks. Knotted wrack Provincial councils are given grants to enable the Parks to implement their annual plans within their boundaries. IVN, the Association for Environmental Education, and SNP, the National Park Foundation, also receive grants for their activities dedicated to enhancing the quality of the Parks and promoting them. Now that the system of twenty National Parks is in place the emphasis of SNP policy has shifted towards extending the National Parks and promoting them. For more details, visit our website at wwwminlnv.nl>natuur>gebiedsbescherming>Nationale Parken.

PARTNERSHIPS Each park has a consultative board appointed by the Minister with representation from local interest groups and organisations. The board’s administration is carried out by provincial government. An important task of the consultative board is to draw up a Management and Development Plan setting out objectives for the coming period, usually ten years. Once this Plan has been agreed the board works out the key points into annual plans. The consultative board is closely involved in implementation, though naturally the landowners and land managers are the most important partners in the consultation process. These are the National Forest Service, Natuurmonumenten, De 12 Landschappen, various government bodies and private individuals. Educational and recreational organisations also participate (IVN, ANWB, and local recreation boards).

Most National Parks are part of the EU Natura 2000 nature reserve network in which all EU Member States participate. This network aims to conserve and develop species and ecosystems that are important in a European context and realises the survival of specifi c species and habitats, listed in the European Birds and Habitats Directive. The Natura 2000 network forms part of the Council of Europe’s Pan-European Ecological Network PEEN. International collaboration, especially with our neighbouring countries, takes place under the umbrella of Europarc, the European federation of national parks. (www.europarc.org).

Moor frogs 47

LAND MANAGERS IN THE NATIONAL PARK The land in the National Parks is owned by many different parties, including the National Forest Service, Natuurmonumenten and Provinciale Landschappen, as well as many private landowners. Together they are responsible for the management and development of the Parks. They work to conserve, and where possible improve, nature quality. They also work to encourage people to discover and experience nature so that visitors will continue to enjoy the National Parks, now and in the future.

+ NATIONAL FOREST SERVICE The National Forest Service manages 246,000 hectares of woodland, dunes, heath, washlands and wetlands and is the largest manager of nature in the Netherlands. The Service manages land in almost all of the Parks and is the largest land manager in half of them. The National Forest Service works to create a sustainable environment for humans, animals and plants. To encourage a permanent relationship between humans and nature, the National Forest Service favours a multi-functional role for nature which includes people. For more information please see www.staatsbosbeheer.nl.

+ NATUURMONUMENTEN Natuurmonumenten manages land in most of the National Parks. It is the largest land manager in three of the Parks. It is a society of 830,000 members with a common aim: to care for nature in the Netherlands. Natuurmonumenten acquires and manages 355 nature areas, which cover a total area of more than 100,000 ha. For more information please see www. natuurmonumenten.nl.

+ DE 12 LANDSCHAPPEN Six of the twelve Provinciale Landschappen manage land in the National Parks. It Fryske Gea and het Limburgs Landschap are the largest managers in De Alde Feanen and De Maasduinen respectively. Provinciale Landschappen manage land in fi ve other national parks. For more information please see www.landschappen.nl.

+ OTHER SITE MANAGERS Much of the land in our National Parks is managed by other organisations or individuals. The Directorate-General for Public Works and Water Management for instance, manages 35,000 hectares in the Oosterschelde National Park. In addition to public bodies (central government, provincial and municipal councils and water authorities) there are many large and small private land-owners. They are represented by the Federation of private landowners, which has 2000 members managing 200,000 hectares, 60,000 ha of which is woodland and nature. For more information please see www.grondbezit.nl. 48 PUBLIC INFORMATION AND EDUCATION: THE IVN ASSOCIATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN THE NETHERLANDS The IVN Association for Environmental Education was commissioned by the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality to organise and coordinate public information, education and communication. IVN works with volunteers and professionals. Almost every Park has an IVN worker on site to explain backgrounds to Dutch nature policy, our impact on nature and why nature conservation is so important. Nature-related courses and projects for schools, local people and visitors may enhance people’s involvement in nature in their surroundings. For more information please see www.ivn.nl.

NATIONAL PARKS AND NATIONAL LANDSCAPES In addition to National Parks the Dutch Government also designated twenty National Landscapes in 2006. National Landscapes cover some 20 percent of Dutch territory. They are more than just places for nature and outdoor recreation. Some 2.5 million people live and work in a National Landscape. This is in sharp contrast to National Parks where very few people live and which cover some 3 percent of Dutch territory.

National Landscapes share a unique combination of cultural heritage nature, each in their own way. They are combinations of intricate, stunning scenery, land use and interesting buildings, playing their part in the landscape story and providing cultural and landscape diversity. The Government wishes to preserve these landscapes, not by restricting access, but by making land use plans and developments an integrated part of the area’s character.

For more information please see www.nationalelandschappen.nl MORE INFORMATION Further details about National Parks can be found on their individual websites. They can also be accessed via www.nationaalpark.nl. Most National Parks publish their own information bulletins, brochures and fl yers.

Published by Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality Translation Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality Design Vorm Vijf Printed by Koninklijke Broese en Peereboom Photography Gerrit van Ommering/Buiten-Beeld: 5, 25, 32, 36, 37 (bottom of page), 40, 44. Ruben Smit / Buiten-Beeld: 23. J. Bosch: 34. Other pictures SNP/ Lars Soerink. Text Hans Reijke and Gerrit van Ommering Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality To order this publication, please contact Postbus 51 We are grateful for the Info line +31 (0)800-8051 (free) additional comments Number of copies and input from the National 100,000 Park secretaries.

January 2010

This brochure can also be found on the Ministry’s website: www.minlnv.nl Large copper Large copper