Construction projects around protected nature reserves up 90 percent in 5 years

Hotels and residential buildings are springing up around protected, nitrogen-sensitive areas in the Netherlands. The construction of such buildings has nearly doubled in the past 5 years, according to an investigation by Pointer.

Recreational buildings and projects within 0-1 kilometers of so-called Natura 2000 areas increased by 90 percent from 2017 to 2021, resulting in a total of 926 new builds. And from 1-3 kilometers around the protected nature areas, there are three times as many such construction projects, according to Pointer.

The construction projects include hotels, holiday homes, mobile homes and chalets. There is also an uptick in recreational projects that are built within the nature areas.

This is striking because Natura 2000 areas are strictly protected by the law –– at least in theory. "These rules are dealt with creatively," Raoul Beunen, associate professor and researcher in environmental policy at the Open Universiteit, told Pointer. For example, governments are sometimes too quick to give building permits, which citizens are often able to successfully appeal in court after the fact.

The trend is especially prominent in the vicinity of the Veluwe Natura 2000 area, which is the largest protected reserve in the country. This area contains heathlands, forests, sand dunes and wetlands, as well as a variety of wildlife. Construction projects can hinder the survival of protected plant and animal species, putting a strain on Natura 2000 areas, according to Pointer.