Provincial area plans
The provinces set out the location and quality aims for the EHS in area plans. The work of drawing up the plans is more or less on schedule but there are major variations in the approach adopted.
| Type of area plan by province | |||
| Province | Type of area plan 1) | Number | Year adopted |
| Groningen | NML area plan | 1 | 2001 |
| Friesland | Landscape area plan | 1 | 2000 |
| Management area plan | 1 | 2000 | |
| Other area plan | 8 | 2000-2002 | |
| Drenthe | NML area plan | 1 | 2002 |
| Overijssel | NM area plan | 6 | 2001-2002 |
| Other area plan | 1 | 2002 | |
| Landscape area plan | 1 | 2001 | |
| Gelderland | NML plans | 5 | 2002-currently being drawn up |
| Flevoland | Management area plan | 1 | 2002 |
| NL plan | 1 | 2002 | |
| Utrecht | Nature area plan | 9 | 2001-currently being drawn up |
| Management area plan 2) | 1 | 2001 | |
| Noord-Holland | NML area plan | 7 | 2001-currently being drawn up |
| Management area plan 3) | 1 | 2002 | |
| Zuid-Holland | Nature area plan | 10 | 2001-2002 |
| Landscape area plan | 2 | 2001 | |
| Management area plan | 1 | 2001 | |
| Zeeland | NML area plan | 1 | 2001 |
| Noord-Brabant | Nature area plan | 11 | 2002 |
| ML area plan | 1 | 2001 | |
| Limburg | NML area plan | 9 | 2001-currently being drawn up |
| Source: Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (NPB) | |||
| 1) See the Technical note for an explanation of the terms; NML, NM and NL are combinations of nature (N), management (M) and landscape area plans (L) | |||
| 2) to be revised | |||
| 3) gradually being incorporated into NML area plans | |||
Current situation
The provinces are required to indicate precisely which areas make up the National Ecological Network (Ecologische Hoofdstructuur, EHS). They do so in their area plans, which also indicate the nature conservation targets. The table gives an overview of the current situation. The plans were meant to have been completed by 2001. With a few exceptions, most of the area plans had been officially approved by 2002; a few plans are still being drawn up.
The approach adopted varies very significantly from one province to another. Some provinces have drawn up separate nature area plans, landscape area plans and management area plans, while others have produced a combination of these. Some provinces (Groningen, Drenthe, Zeeland) have produced area plans for the whole province; the others have done so for each particular area.
Technical note
The table has been compiled from information provided by the provinces (late 2002). Nature area plans form the basis for agreements on the management of nature areas by management organisations and the management of nature reserves by private bodies. Management area plans form the basis for agreements on agrarian nature management. The provinces set out their landscape objectives in landscape plans. The combined plans comprise nature targets, landscape targets and agrarian nature management. Other area plans also include targets other than those for nature and the landscape.
References
- RIVM (2002). Natuurbalans 2002. Milieu- en Natuurplanbureau. Kluwer. Alphen aan den Rijn.
- Sanders, M.E. (2002). Beleidsevaluatie Agrarisch Natuurbeheer. Voortgang, knelpunten en effectiviteit. Werkdocument 2002/03 Natuurplanbureau. Wageningen.
