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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.
This page was last changed on 19 May 2004  (version 01).