Biodiversity and Nature

Abstract

Although the Netherlands is one of the most densely populated countries in the world it has several interesting and sometimes internationally unique ecosystems associated with its position on a major European delta. Wet delta conditions and landscape dynamics have shaped the ecosystems of the lowlands while Dutch glaciation history has had significant impact on ecosystem development on the higher grounds. Today, most specific delta dynamics have disappeared due to human use and landscape alteration for flood protection, urbanisation and agriculture. Less than 12% of the Dutch land surface is more or less natural, and is mostly forested. No native forest survived in the Netherlands, current forests were all replanted for timber production or landscape restoration. Natural forests emerged where production forests were abandoned or by natural succession on open terrains. Most Dutch ecosystems and nature reserves are intensively managed because of external disturbances by other land use and to compensate for the lack of natural dynamics. Thanks to such conservation management and to improving environmental conditions in general, Dutch nature now shows the first signs of recovery after a long period of biodiversity loss.