Nature, landscape and biodiversity

Due to measures to improve the water quality, expansion of the nature area and nature management, the overall loss of biodiversity in the Netherlands has slowed down with the onset of a modest recovery. This latter is mainly due to the improvements of fresh water habitats and marshlands. However, an ongoing loss of biodiversity is most profound in the agricultural areas, with also decreasing trends in open dune habitat and heathland.

The Dutch landscape is foremost a man-made landscape. It is the result of the interaction between man (cultivation and use) and nature (water, soil and ecosystems). The degree of landscape openness is one of the key aspects of the Dutch landscape. On the other hand is the influence of man-made objects on the public's perception of the attractiveness of the landscape.

The editors have selected the most important indicators. Together, they provide a picture of the state and trends of nature, landscape and biodiversity in the Netherlands.

 

Vernieuwd

Farmland bird indicator, 1915-2021

Indicator | 16 February 2023

Changes in agricultural practices have caused a significant decline in breeding birds typical of agricultural areas in the Netherlands, starting from the early 20th century.

Ecosystem quality and trends in nitrogen availability, 2020

Indicator | 14 October 2022

The environmental pressure from nitrogen deposition has reduced since the 1990s. The area of terrestrial ecosystems where nitrogen deposition leads to poor environmental conditions for the... more

Farmland bird indicator, 1915-2020

Indicator | 28 March 2022

Changes in agricultural practices have caused a significant decline in breeding birds typical of agricultural areas in the Netherlands, starting from the early 20th century.

Ecosystem quality and trends in nitrogen availability, 2018

Indicator | 9 November 2021

The environmental pressure from nitrogen deposition has reduced since the 1990s. The total area of terrestrial ecosystems where nitrogen deposition leads to poor environmental conditions for... more

Ecosystem quality and trends in soil pH, 2018

Indicator | 9 November 2021

In many ecosystems soil quality in terms of soil pH is good. But soil pH in parts of natural and semi-natural grasslands, open dunes and marshland is not yet within acceptable levels. In all... more

The Environmental Data Compendium is a partnership of CBS, PBL, RIVM and WUR.