National Park ‘Dunes of Texel’

National Parks in the Netherlands are nature areas of at least 1000 ha with special nature values. Since 1980 the Dutch government started to develop a system of National Parks in the Netherlands. These National Parks all are designated core ecological areas in the Ecological Main Structure. This is the Dutch system for distinguishing and protection of nature areas (or core ecological areas), nature development areas and corridors.
The Dutch government set four goals for the National Parks:

- Nature management and development
- Information and education
- Nature-oriented recreation
- Research

The primary goal is the nature management and development, the other three goals are to be fitted to the primary goal.

During 1995 and 1996, the Provisional Committee for National Parks studied if, and under what conditions, the Dunes of Texel could be considered for a National Park. In December 1998 the State Secretary of Nature Management established 4300 ha as: National Park ‘The Dunes of Texel’ in formation (see: Map of Texel). The status ‘in formation’ means a probationary period in which all the owners, governments and managers have to agree on a collective Management and Organisation Plan for the National Park. In the case of the Dunes of Texel, the participants are: the Province of North Holland, the municipality of Texel, the Water-board district and the Dykereeve, the Ministry of Defence, Rijkswaterstaat, the State Forestry, Recreatie Stichting Texel, three dune camping sites, the nature-information centre EcoMare and the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries. When the plan is approved by the Minister of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries the permanent designation as National Park will be given.

The Management and Organisation Plan is currently being written. The Provisional Committee for National Parks has set several conditions for the National Park. First of all, the presence of military training grounds in a National Park is in theory impossible. But, Defence has plans to continue to use the terrain and increase the number of practices. However, the Provisional Committee has included the training grounds in the National Park, based on their great nature value. The barracks terrain was excluded. Second, hunting in the National Park will be prohibited, unless it concerns a management control. And third, the three camping sites may not expand in any way.

Recreation will play an important role in the National Park. The status of National Park will not mean limiting recreation possibilities in the forest and dune areas on the island of Texel. But, several rules and regulations have to minimise the negative effects of recreation. Recreation also has positive effects, because it provides the opportunity to inform and educate the visitors about the dunes and nature (see: Tourism and recreation).

Result
The National Park has nature management and development as primary goal. However, the influence of interest groups is higher than when the Dunes of Texel would be designated under the Nature Conservation Act.
 
 

References:

• www.waddenzee.nl