Species protection plans
The number of species protection plans has increased sharply in recent years. Implementation of these plans is coordinated by various different organisations.
| Species protection plans in the Netherlands | |||
| Species protection plan | Effective as from | No. of species | Coordinating organisation |
| Badger | 1984 | 1 | LNV |
| Wall plants | 1988 | 15 | LNV |
| Bats | 1988 | 21 | LNV |
| Otter | 1989 | 1 | LNV |
| Butterflies | 1990 | 15 | LNV |
| Partridge | 1991 | 1 | LNV |
| Black grouse | 1991 | 1 | LNV |
| Spoonbill | 1994 | 1 | LNV/Vogelbescherming |
| Barn owl | 1996 | 1 | Vogelbescherming |
| Common hamster | 1999 | 1 | LNV southern directorate |
| Little owl | 1999 | 1 | LNV/Vogelbescherming |
| Midwife toad & | |||
| yellow-bellied toad | 2000 | 2 | Prov. Limburg/LNV southern |
| directorate | |||
| Large copper butterfly | 2000 | 1 | De Vlinderstichting |
| Marshland birds | 2000 | 13 | Vogelbescherming |
| Field plants | 2000 | 14 | Provinces jointly |
| Montagu's harrier | 2000 | 1 | Provinces of Groningen & Flevoland |
| Aeshna viridis (green hawker) | 2001 | 1 | Province of Utrecht |
| Peatland butterflies | 2001 | 3 | De Vlinderstichting |
| Glanville fritillary | 2001 | 1 | De Vlinderstichting |
| European tree frog | 2001 | 1 | RAVON |
| Common spadefoot toad | 2001 | 1 | RAVON |
| Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality | |||
| Coordinating organisations: | |||
| LNV = Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality | |||
| Vogelbescherming = Bird Protection Netherlands (VBN) | |||
| De Vlinderstichting = Dutch Butterfly Conservation | |||
| RAVON = Reptiles, Amphibians and Fish Research Netherlands | |||
Trends
The first species protection plan dates from 1984; 21 plans have since been drawn up. Since the Long-range Implementation Programme for Species Policy (Meerjarenprogramma Uitvoering Soortenbeleid) was introduced in 2000, a total of five plans have been drafted each year. At first, the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries coordinated implementation of the plans, but coordination has gradually passed into the hands of the provinces and species protection organisations.
The habitat approach is given priority in a number of species protection plans, for example in the one pertaining to marshland birds. By improving the quality of large-scale habitats, an attempt is being made to improve conditions for a number of different species at the same time.
Policy objectives
Species protection plans indicate which extra measures are needed to protect endangered species in the Netherlands. These measures may concern improving the quality of the environment, making changes to water management, or specific management measures, both within the National Ecological Network (Ecologische Hoofdstructuur) and (in certain instances) outside it.
