Homepage RIVM Homepage CBS Homepage WUR
Landscape > Land use Print version
Search Compendium. Type in one or more keywords.
Scroll through the Environmental Data Compendium below via the menus.
The sitemap of the Environmental Data Compendium
List of updates to the Environmental Data Compendium

Areal changes in land use

With the exception of forest and woodland, there has been a sharp fall in the area of all natural forms of land use. In the last 50 years the percentage of farmland has also declined.

Trends in areas of ecosystems
  ha in 1950 ha in 1990 Change in %
Agricultural area 2 523 510 2 373 890 -5.9
Forest & woodland 245 850 329 390 34.0
Deciduous 75 310 118 580 57.5
Coniferous 155 430 135 710 -12.7
Mixed 15 110 75 100 397.0
Nature areas 262 670 146 040 -44.4
Marsh, bog & swamp 43 600 47 530 9.0
Salt marshes 24 980 10 080 -59.7
Dunes & beach 48 030 43 870 -8.7
Heathland 110 840 35 820 -67.7
Active dunes 7 340 3 540 -51.8
Raised bog 27 880 5 200 -81.3
Built-up 262 770 541 010 105.9
Built-up area 97 850 133 210 36.1
Roads etc 164 920 407 800 147.3
Water 782 500 664 770 -15.0
Total 4 077 300 4 055 090 -0.5
Source: CBS     CBS/NC/Oct02

Trends


Between 1950 and 1990 there were striking changes in the area of the various types of land use. In particular, there was a dramatic decline in the area of salt marsh, heathland, active inland dunes and raised bog. By contrast, the area of forest and woodland increased in this period, largely because of an increase in deciduous and mixed plantations. In 1990 the total area of forest and woodland was 329 390 ha, of which 36% was deciduous, 41% coniferous and 23% mixed.

Technical note


The land use areas in 1950 have been calculated from the land use statistics; the areas in 1990 have been calculated from the vegetation map. As the classes in these sources were not identical, they have been adjusted. These differences also explain the slight decrease of total area in the table.

The areas of deciduous, coniferous and mixed forest and woodland have been calculated using the proportions of these forest types in 1993/1997. This entailed fixing the proportions of open/young forest at 50% deciduous and 50% mixed, This resulted in the following proportions: 36.0% deciduous, 41.2% coniferous and 22.8% mixed forest.

Part of the increase in the total area of forest between 1950 and 1990 is the result of trees on heathland, marsh, bog and swamp being included as forest in 1990. This accounts for about 20 000 ha. On the 1990 vegetation map the area of salt marsh is smaller than the area given in other sources (17 000 ha according to Koppejan et al., 1999). The disparity is largely due to differences in how ecosystems have been delimited.

References


  • Koppejan, H., P.J.M. Melman, J.R. von Asmuth en D. de Jong (1999). Standaardvoorschrift kwelderkartering in Nederland. Meetkundige dienst rapport MDGAE-98-02. Delft.
  • Kuiper, L.C. (2000). Nederlands bos in beeld. Stichting ProBos. Zeist.
  • Leeuwen, N. van en A. van Strien (1997). Begroeiingstypenkaarten voor natuurmeetnetten. Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek. Heerlen/Voorburg.
  • Meij, T. van der en L. van Duuren (2000). Veranderingen in oppervlakten van natuurtypen tussen 1950 en 1990. Kwartaalbericht Milieustatistieken 2000/2:10-15.

Relevant sections and indicators in the Environmental Data Compendium
This page was last changed on 24 March 2004  (version 01).