Dutch provinces have planted about 4,000 hectares of the 37,000 forest target
Six years after the national forest strategy was presented, the provinces, which are largely responsible for planting, have added only about 4,000 hectares of the 37,000 hectares of new forest set for 2030.
The provinces together have planted only about 4,000 hectares of new forest, six years after the Ministry of Agriculture presented the Bossenstrategie (forest strategy). It said 37,000 hectares of forest must be added within ten years. The provinces are largely responsible for the planting, and the provinces other than Gelderland and Overijssel say they are behind schedule.
The Rekenkamer Oost-Nederland has already found that Gelderland and Overijssel will not meet the 2030 target. Overijssel has planted 319 of its planned 3,900 hectares.
Maurits von Martels, the gedeputeerde (provincial executive member) for Overijssel, said: "Land is scarce and not every municipality or landowner is willing to convert farmland to forest." He agreed there is also too little money to reach the target. Landowners must cooperate voluntarily, he said. "We offer subsidy and we hope people use it, but interest is limited."
The municipality of Hof van Twente does not want to ask farmers to plant trees on their land. It has a large rural area with 500 farmers. Alderman (wethouder) Miriam Doeschot said they face great uncertainty about the future of their businesses. "We do not want to restrict farmers further by turning farmland into nature," she said.
The strategy covers more than new forest. It also covers replanting felled trees and better maintenance of existing forests. It aims to make forests more resilient to climate change, for example by planting deciduous instead of coniferous trees.
Dutch forest area has crept up since 2016
Km² · 2016–2024
Dutch forest area has crept up since 2016 (km²). From 3,630 in 2016 to 3,696 in 2024; highest 3,696 in 2024, lowest 3,630 in 2016. Source: CBS.
| Period | km² |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 3630.0 |
| 2017 | 3637.0 |
| 2018 | 3646.0 |
| 2019 | 3644.0 |
| 2020 | 3644.0 |
| 2021 | 3655.0 |
| 2022 | 3641.0 |
| 2023 | 3658.0 |
| 2024 | 3696.0 |
Bas Lerink, a forest scientist at Wageningen University, said: "Some forest has been added and some forests have been given new life, but it is not enough." He blames the delay on a lack of money at the provinces and on legal obstacles, such as disputes over land use between provinces, residents and farmers. He thinks the 2030 targets are unrealistic but says the ambition should stay. He wants the provinces to get extra money quickly, and help with planning.
Bossenstrategie
The Bossenstrategie is the Dutch national forest strategy, a plan from the Ministry of Agriculture to expand forest cover in the Netherlands. It sets a target of adding 37,000 hectares of new forest within ten years, and the provinces carry most of the responsibility for planting it. Because the planting depends on available land and landowners who are willing to convert farmland, progress has been slow.
Rekenkamer Oost-Nederland
The Rekenkamer Oost-Nederland is an independent audit office that examines how the provincial governments in the east of the Netherlands spend public money and carry out their policies. Its reports assess whether those policies achieve their goals, which is why its findings on forest planting in Gelderland and Overijssel matter.
gedeputeerde
A gedeputeerde is a member of the Gedeputeerde Staten, the executive board of a Dutch province, which runs day-to-day provincial government and implements policy. The gedeputeerden are chosen by the elected Provinciale Staten, the provincial council, and each one holds a portfolio such as nature, housing or agriculture. In this article, the gedeputeerde for Overijssel is responsible for the province's forest planting.