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International significance of Dutch landscapes

Certain types of Dutch landscape - particularly the polders and peat reclamations - are very uncommon elsewhere in north-west Europe.

Current situation


Polders reclaimed from lakes, old polders on marine clay, and land reclaimed from peat - all of which are in the lowest part of the country - have international significance. Over 95% of the polders in north-west Europe are situated in the Netherlands. Peat reclamations with strip plots, and old marine clay polders with dwelling mounds are mainly restricted to the Netherlands. The Netherlands therefore has a great responsibility to maintain these landscapes.

Landscape type Area NW Europe(km2) Area in NL (km2) Dutch proportion of NW Europe. total
Reclaimed lakes 2 600 2 500 95%
Marine clay polders 15 500 5 400 35%
Peat reclamations, pumped drainage 10 000 5 100 50%
Levee & basin reclamations ? 2 100 <50%
Dunes (excl. dune reclamations) 5 300 400-450 10%
Wadden Sea 6 000-9 000 2 700 30-45%
Peat settlements 2 500 1 800 75%
Kamp reclamations with local essen ? 4 500 20->50%
Ice-pushed ridges ? 1 850 approx. 50%
Saline & brackish estuaries with saltmarshes ? 970 10%
Source: Farjon et al., 2001

Technical note


Literature and experts were consulted to find out which Dutch landscapes types are of international significance because of their landforms, reclamation history and ecosystems. The aspects considered were: distinctiveness, whether the locality is a type locality, and its rarity in north-west Europe i.e. Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, United Kingdom, Belgium, Luxembourg and France (exc. French Mediterranean coast). In this context, a type locality is the place where the phenomenon in question arose, was first described and/or occurs in its most characteristic form. To determine a landscape type's rarity and the Dutch percentage of the international total of that landscape, a GIS database of comparable landscape types in north-west Europe was compiled from topographical maps at scales of 1:50 000 and 1:100 000.

References


  • Farjon, J.M.J., G.H.P. Dirkx, A.J.M. Koomen, J.A.J. Vervloet en G.W. Lammers (2001). Neder-landschap Internationaal: Bouwstenen voor een selectie van gebieden landschapsbehoud. Rapport 358. Alterra. Wageningen
  • Haartsen, A.J., A.P. de Klerk, J.A.J. Vervloet m.m.v. G.J. Borger (1989). Levend Verleden: een verkenning van de cultuurhistorische betekenis van het Nederlandse landschap. Achtergrondreeks Natuurbeleidsplan 3. SDU Den Haag.
  • Landschappen van wereldformaat. 1998. Historisch Geografisch Tijdschrift 98(3). Matrijs. Utrecht.
  • Ven, G.P. van de (Eds.) (1993).Man-made lowlands: history of water management and land reclamation in the Netherlands. Matrijs. Utrecht.
  • Wolf, W.J., J. Berdowski, F.A. Bink en S. Broekhuizen (1989). De internationale betekenis van de Nederlandse natuur: een verkenning. SDU. 'Den Haag.

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This page was last changed on 31 March 2004  (version 01).