S the NETHERLANDS
Important Bird Areas in Europe – The Netherlands ■ THE NETHERLANDS EDUARD OSIECK Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus, a key species at coastal IBAs in the Netherlands. (PHOTO: RSPB) GENERAL INTRODUCTION situated below sea-level, which are drained by a dense network of ditches, canals, reservoirs and pumping engines. Coastal defence The Netherlands are situated at the delta of the rivers Rhine (Rijn), consists of coastal dunes, sea walls (dykes) and barrages. The Maas and Schelde, forming much of the North Sea coast of Netherlands has 106 Important Bird Areas (IBAs), covering continental Europe. The country covers 49,443 km² of which 15% 11,600 km² and equalling 24% of the country’s total area although comprises open water (inshore waters, lakes and rivers). The area only 8% of the total land surface is covered by IBAs (Table 1, Map 1). excluding territoral sea (i.e. sea within 12 nautical miles) is The ‘original’ pan-European IBA inventory (Grimmett and 40,588 km². About half of the country consists of embanked polders Jones 1989) identified 70 IBAs in the Netherlands, of which six Table 1. Summary of Important Bird Areas in the Netherlands. 106 IBAs covering 11,600 km2 IBA National 1989 code code1 code International name National name Administrative region Area (ha) Criteria (see p. 11) 001 NL0010 NL001 Wadden Sea Waddenzee Groningen, Friesland, 233,855 A4i, A4iii, B1i, C2, C3, C4 Noord-Holland 002 NL0021 NL002 Texel: Schorren and Zeeburg Texel: De Schorren en Zeeburg Noord-Holland 1,600 A4i, A4iii, B1i, B2, C2, C3, C4, C6 003 NL0022
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