Politics · Netherlands · 2 hrs ago
Dutch provinces have planted only 4,000 hectares under national forest plan
In 2020, the Dutch government set a goal to add 37,000 hectares of forest in ten years.
The provinces have planted about 4,000 hectares so far, and all say they are behind schedule.
The plan also calls for replanting trees, improving existing forests and making them more resilient to climate change.
Lack of money and scarce land are among the reasons for the delay, alongside disagreements over how land should be used.
In Overijssel, just 319 of the planned 3,900 hectares have been planted, while some local officials say they do not want to ask farmers to turn farmland into nature areas.
A forest researcher says the 2030 goal is unlikely to be met, but argues that the ambition should remain because forests support biodiversity and absorb carbon dioxide.
He says more funding and planning support are needed so provinces can still plant a substantial area by 2030.
Dutch provinces have planted about 4,000 hectares of forest under a national plan that aims to add 37,000 hectares in ten years.
The plan was presented by the Agriculture Ministry in 2020, and provinces are largely responsible for planting new forest.
Six years later, all provinces say they are behind schedule, according to a report by Nieuwsuur.
A forest scientist cited a lack of funding and legal obstacles, including disagreements over land use, as reasons for the delay.
- Who
- Dutch provinces are responsible for much of the forest planting. The plan was presented by the Agriculture Ministry.
- What
- Provinces have planted about 4,000 hectares under a national forest plan targeting 37,000 additional hectares.
- When
- The plan was presented in 2020. The report was published on October 13, 2026.
- Where
- The Netherlands.
- Why
- The forest scientist cited insufficient provincial funding and legal obstacles, including disputes over land use.
Forest expansion advocates
Hof van Twente municipality
Land use
Forest expansion advocates
Forest scientist Bas Lerink says more forest can help address problems including biodiversity loss and carbon emissions.
Hof van Twente municipality
Hof van Twente says it does not want to ask farmers to convert agricultural land to nature, given uncertainty about their businesses.
Need for expansion
Forest expansion advocates
Lerink says the ambition should remain and that provinces need more funding and planning support.
Hof van Twente municipality
Hof van Twente says it does not want to further restrict farmers by converting farmland.
The Agriculture Ministry presented a strategy calling for 37,000 hectares of additional forest over ten years.
The provinces had planted about 4,000 hectares in total and said they were behind schedule.
- National target
- 37,000 hectares of additional forest in ten years
- Planted so far
- About 4,000 hectares
- Plan presented
- 2020
- Overijssel target
- 3,900 hectares
- Overijssel planted
- 319 hectares
What people are saying
There is some more forest and some forests have been given a new lease of life, but it is not enough.
Land is scarce and not every municipality or landowner is willing to convert agricultural land into forest.
We do not want to further restrict farmers by converting agricultural land into nature.
Sources
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