Guidance Species policy

Index Species policy section

• Status of plant and animal species
• Flora and Fauna Act: protected species
• European Habitats and Birds Directives: protected species
• Species protection plans
• Red Lists

The species policy pursued by the Netherlands complements its policy on protecting and improving the quality of nature areas. The aim of the policy is to create sustainable conditions, by the year 2020, for the preservation of all native species and populations as they existed in 1982 (Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries, 2000). This policy also meets the obligations of the Berne Convention, which was ratified by the Netherlands in 1982.

The most endangered species are placed on Red Lists. Species protection plans have been drawn up for a number of other species. These plans indicate which measures are necessary to ensure their survival.

The Flora and Fauna Act (Flora- en faunawet) and the EU Habitats and Birds Directives provide legal protection for a number of species. Proposals for any detrimental human activity must take this legal protection into account. Not all of the species protected by law are endangered species.

Relevant sections and indicators in the Environmental Data Compendium

• Guidance Protected species
• Progress in implementation of Birds and Habitat Directives
• Areas in the Netherlands covered by the EU Birds and Habitat Directives