Recovery of desiccated areas, 2001

Impact of anti-desiccation activities

In 2000, approximately 3% (15,000 ha) of the desiccated natural area had recovered fully in hydrological terms. In the same year, a total of approximately 490,000 ha in the Netherlands was desiccated.
Anti-desiccation activities are falling far short of the intended goals; the 2000 objective - the recovery of 25% of the desiccated area - has not been achieved.
Little can be said about the ultimate goal of the anti-desiccation policy, the ecological recovery of the desiccated areas. Not only is this lagging behind the rehabilitation of the hydrological regime, the environment in these areas is often also subject to eutrophication and acidification. Moreover, there is no adequate system for monitoring the rate of recovery.

Policy

The objective of anti-desiccation activities was to reduce the desiccated area by 25% in 2000 compared to 1985 (Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment, 1997; Ministry of Transport and Public Works, 1998). The goal for 2010 is a reduction in the desiccated area by 40% (Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment, 1997).

Policy performance

A study has now been completed of the reasons for this disappointing performance (Vliet et al., 2002). The main conclusions are:

• The water and nature targets, as well as the criteria for recovery, are not clear and measurable enough; this hinders the implementation of the desiccation policy.
• Furthermore, the responsibilities of the numerous stakeholders (national government, provincial authorities, water boards and municipal authorities) are not clear. Coordination between the stakeholders is therefore difficult.
• The continuity of the financing instruments has been below par.
• The monitoring of the level of desiccation and of recovery from desiccation has been poorly managed so far.

References

• IPO (2002). Interprovinciale rapportage Milieu, Water, Landbouw en Natuur 2001. Association of Provincial Authorities, Lelystad. This report contains an extensive set of provincial data about the environment, water, nature and agriculture for the year 2001.
• Van Vliet, C.J.M., H. van Blitterswijk, A. Blankena and C.A. Balduk (2002). Blauw voor groen: nog veel te doen. Een evaluatie van de verdrogingsbestrijding in Nederland. Wageningen, Alterra, Research Instituut voor de Groene Ruimte. Alterra report 462, 68 pages. The PDF file with the Dutch-language report can be found on the website of the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality.
• VROM (1997). National Environmental Policy Plan 3. Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment, The Hague.
• V & W (1998). Fourth Water Management Policy Document. Ministry of Transport and Public Works, The Hague.

Relevant sections and indicators in the Environmental Data Compendium

• Monitoring government performance
• Introduction to desiccation theme
• Desiccated areas in the Netherlands, 2000
• Illustration of impact of desiccation on nature (page is not available yet)
• Suggestions for solutions to desiccation in the Netherlands
• Anti-desiccation projects in the Netherlands, 2001