Delta Plan for Biodiversity Recovery: working together for a richer Netherlands

Parties in the Netherlands are being invited to join the 'Delta Plan for Biodiversity Recovery'. The plan, aimed at restoring the variety of species, ecosystems and landscapes needed for a rich nature, was launched in The Hague late last year and was recently endorsed by Minister Carola Schouten of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality.

The rapid decline in biodiversity has only recently become a high priority on the public agenda. A key driver in bringing the issue to public attention was a scientific study showing that around 75% of the insect biomass in German nature reserves has disappeared since 1989, with similar trends observed in the Netherlands.

A unique coalition of Dutch scientists, farmers’ organisations, nature and environmental organisations, food supply chain partners and a bank joined forces in November 2017 to sign the 'Driebergen Declaration', which stresses the necessity of working together to reverse those trends. A core group of these parties proceeded to draught the current 'Delta Plan'.

The name refers to historic efforts by the Dutch government, provincial and municipal authorities and water boards after the disastrous North Sea flood of 1953 to protect the Netherlands from the sea, resulting in the world-famous Delta Works. Now, there is a similar sense of urgency when it comes to the need for restoring biodiversity.

Rethink required

"With the Delta Plan for Biodiversity Recovery, we aim to use our knowledge, prosperity and energy to create a Netherlands where people and nature can flourish side by side", write the authors. "We hope the Netherlands can become an example of a densely populated delta where biodiversity and economic development are interconnected."

But "a real change towards biodiversity recovery requires a ‘rethink’ or new mindset from all stakeholders. This new mindset involves connecting performance of biodiversity restoration by land users to sufficient social recognition and financial rewards." To be successful, it is important that as many parties are on board as possible.

"We brought together farmers’ organisations, food supply chain partners, researchers, nature and environmental organisations as well as a bank for the first time", says independent chair of the core group Louise Vet, NIOO director and chair of the ecologists' network NERN that took the initiative for the plan. "It's a unique strategy."

Keys to success

Key to the plan's approach is that everyone can help inspire and incentivise land users such as farmers and local governments to realise more favourable conditions for biodiversity. Standardised performance measurement will allow these land users to accumulate result-based payments and other benefits, from a variety of sources.

The Delta Plan identifies five success factors that make it simple and attractive for land users to contribute to restoring biodiversity. These success factors are:

• Shared values
• Development of new business models
• Incentivising and consistent laws and regulations
• Knowledge and innovation
• Collaboration with all regional land users

Based on these success factors, the plan identifies a number of objectives to guarantee a thriving delta for people and nature by 2030:

• Nature reserves are effectively connected to each other through other nature reserves, agricultural areas and/or public spaces, which means the management of nature reserves and farmland is coordinated and strengthened.
• Beneficial insects and fertile soils are stimulated, favourable conditions are created for wild animals and plants on farmland and regional cycles are closed, so that there is more space for biodiversity in agriculture.
• By making nature-friendly choice in the design and management of dykes, verges, business parks and other public spaces, an intricate network is created in which wild animals and plants can flourish.

Taking concrete action

At the launch of the Delta Plan in The Hague last December, representatives of the core group gave a number of examples of concrete actions that will be taken in order to achieve these objectives:

• Dutch supermarkets will make efforts to give biodiversity a more prominent place through quality labels, standards and certifications.
• Rabobank will reward farmers via a public-private partnership for their biodiversity performance through a reduction in interest rates on new and existing loans.
• 25 administrative units of the Dutch Society for Nature Conservation will perform farm scans, actively working with farmers to seek initiatives and opportunities in order to put the plan's objectives into practice.
• Farmers can contribute to the management and maintenance of public green spaces, closing regional cycles, with active support from the Dutch Organisation for Agriculture and Horticulture and FarmersforNature.

Meanwhile, the next phase of the plan is already being prepared, with more activities planned and hopefully even broader support.

Involving new parties

Minister Schouten already expressed her backing for the Delta Plan in a letter to the Lower House earlier this month, But the Ministry is not the only party the core group wants to involve. Local authorities, provinces and water boards are also invited to join the broad coalition, as are businesses, stakeholder organisations and private individuals.

It underlines the plan's message that everyone in the Netherlands can contribute and take responsibility. "There is a genuine commitment, and we have overcome sharp divisions", says Louise Vet, "so now is the time for new parties to join. For the actual recovery of biodiversity in the Netherlands, they too will be indispensable."

• Core group: Agrifirm, BoerenNatuur (FarmersforNature), Centraal Bureau Levensmiddelenhandel (Dutch Food Retail Association), Duurzame Zuivelketen (Sustainable Dairy Chain), LTO Nederland (Dutch Organisation for Agriculture and Horticulture), Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Natuur en Milieu Federaties (Nature and Environment Federations), Natuurmonumenten (Dutch Society for Nature Conservation), Netherlands Ecological Research Network (NERN), Rabobank, Stichting Veldleeuwerik (Skylark Foundation), De Vlinderstichting (Dutch Butterfly Conservation) and WWF NL (World Wide Fund for Nature).
• More information: www.samenvoorbiodiversiteit.nl (website in Dutch)
• Contact for NIOO-KNAW: Science information officer Froukje Rienks, tel. +31-6-10487481 / +31-317-473590 f.rienks@nioo.knaw.nl