Nature protection and biodiversity - State and impacts (Netherlands)

The average numbers of all species of vascular plants and breeding birds per square kilometre are increasing in nature areas, while butterflies continue to decrease (Figure 3). This is the result of improved environmental conditions and an increase in nature area by converting farmland to nature. The discrepancy with the trend of red-listed species (Figure 5) suggests that the more common species profited most from the improvements that were carried out from 1990 onwards. In agricultural areas, the average number of species per square kilometre continues to decrease at a fast pace.

Figure 3. In nature areas, the average numbers of vascular plants and breeding birds are increasing, while in agricultural areas, the numbers of vascular plants, breeding birds and butterflies are still decreasing. The species selected for the figure are the target species of Dutch nature policy. SEBI indicator 01. Source: PBL (2009), Van Swaaij (2009).

The conservation status of many habitat types found in the Netherlands protected under the Habitats Directive is unfavourable (Figure 4). Only 10 % of the habitat types have a favourable conservation status. Compared to the European average, the number of habitat types in the Netherlands with the conservation status ‘unfavourable – inadequate’ is large, while the number of habitats with favourable conservation status is low.

Figure 4. The conservation status of 90 % of the habitat types and species protected under the Habitats directive found in the Netherlands is unfavourable. Bird species fare better, with about half the species in an unfavourable conservation status. SEBI indicator 3. Source: Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, PBL (2009).

In the Netherlands, the average population trend of the species on the Red Lists has not changed for the better during the past decade (Figure 5). While the average population trend of all species together is only slightly decreasing, Red-Listed species show, on average, a severe decrease in population size. In contrast to this average trend, some habitats and their species show recovery. Pioneer vegetations in new or restored nature areas are recovering, and the Red-Listed species that belong to this habitat are increasing. Fresh waters, forests and marshes also show a stabilisation or even recovery of biodiversity trends (State of the Nature 2009, PBL, 2009). Climate change causes a change in species composition in the Netherlands (Figure 6): cold preferent species decrease, warmth preferent species increase.

Figure 5. Red-listed butterflies, breeding birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles, on average, still decrease in population sizes and distribution areas. The endangered red-listed species decrease even faster. Although red-listed species fare better in some habitats, for instance, in pioneer situations on sands, the situation of most of them is worsening. SEBI indicator 02. Source: PBL (2009) Ecological Monitoring Network, and Statistics Netherlands.

Figure 6. Climate change causes shifts in the species composition in the Netherlands. SEBI indicator 11. Source: Van Veen et al., 2008.

The selection of a few productive breeds of livestock resulted in a low genetic diversity. In the Netherlands, these productive breeds dominate livestock (Figure 7). Other breeds are marginally present, mostly in non-productive settings. For poultry, for example, the remaining 20 old Dutch breeds only represent 0.02 % of the total number of animals.

Figure 7. Dutch livestock largely consists of a single or very few highly productive breeds which are globally used.

The Dutch biodiversity footprint on land outside the Netherlands corresponds to an area of about three times the size of the Netherlands (Figure 8). This area is the result of a recalculation to the area that has lost its entire biodiversity. Outlooks predict that this area will increase further, showing a continuing impact of Dutch consumption on global biodiversity.

Figure 8. Consumption footprint of the Netherlands, in terms of area (left) and of biodiversity loss (right, recalculated to area with complete loss of biodiversity). SEBI indicator 23. Source: PBL, 2009.