Hollandse Duinen officially named Netherlands’ 22nd national park

The coastal region of Hollandse Duinen in Zuid-Holland has been formally recognized as a national park. The designation was confirmed Tuesday by Minister Jaimi van Essen of D66, making it the 22nd national park in the Netherlands.

Spanning over 18,000 hectares, the park runs from Hoek van Holland to Hillegom. Its width reaches roughly 9 kilometers between The Hague and Leiden, while elsewhere it narrows to only a few hundred meters of dunes.

To become a national park, an area must meet requirements related to nature and its importance for science, education, and recreation. It must also possess “great beauty.” According to the province, this is the case along the Zuid-Holland coast, it wrote in its application. Appreciation for the area, for example, is reflected in paintings by the Dutch Masters. “Even today, millions of people visit the coast each year to enjoy the sea, beaches, dunes, and the surrounding landscape.”

The new status gives the park access to a national fund worth 30 million euros until 2030. Zuid-Holland official Arno Bonte said the move would significantly support efforts to enhance and develop the area’s natural qualities. Funding beyond 2030 has yet to be determined.

According to director Georgette Leltz, who oversaw the application, the national funding for Hollandse Duinen will primarily support collaboration among the area’s managing organizations. It is not meant for routine maintenance such as tree pruning or tending garden beds.

Leltz emphasized that the park’s new status will not lead to tighter regulations. “We aim to strengthen nature and recreation and better align the two, but it’s not the case that more permits will be required or that supervision will increase.”

Although the park largely surrounds The Hague, the intention, according to Leltz, is for nature to begin within the city itself. “So that when you step outside, you can reach the dunes in a pleasant way.”

Although the province applied in September 2024, the decision was repeatedly delayed during the tenure of BBB state secretary Jean Rummenie. Asked why a decision has now been made, a spokesperson said: “Because Van Essen considers it an important issue.”