Land use - State and impacts (Netherlands)

Land use

The national spatial planning policies aim to reduce negative impacts of land fragmentation caused by urban sprawl. There are goals to intensify urban land use, to improve natural habitat connectivity and to prevent landscape cluttering.

Figure 1: Urban intensification between 2000 and 2005.
Source: http://www.compendiumvoordeleefomgeving.nl/indicatoren/nl2012-Woningbouw-binnen-bebouwd-gebied.html?i=30-151 )

During the period between 2002 and 2005, more than 40 % of new housing was built within existing urban areas in most provinces. This development fits in with policy aims to prevent urban sprawl and to improve urban facilities.

Figure 2: Land fragmentation indices for natural habitats.
Source: http://www.compendiumvoordeleefomgeving.nl/indicatoren/nl1523-Trend-ruimtelijke-samenhang-ehs.html?i=24-22

Since 1990, the connectivity of natural habitats has increased to 50 % of the national objective, due to a national strategy to enlarge and connect natural areas.

Figure 3: Landscape perception.
Source: http://www.compendiumvoordeleefomgeving.nl/indicatoren/nl1408-Visuele-verstoring-van-belevingswaarde-landschap.html?i=12-9 )

In 2005, the landscape perception of one-third of the Dutch landscape was negatively influenced by visible intrusive elements, including infrastructure, industrial parks and massive buildings such as glass houses and large stables.

Groundwater quality

Figure 2: Groundwater quality indices for nitrates (upper left), http://www.compendiumvoordeleefomgeving.nl/indicatoren/nl0271-Nitraat-in-het-bovenste-grondwater-onder-landbouwgebieden.html?i=11-14, phosphates (upper right), http://www.pbl.nl/nl/publicaties/2009/milieubalans/index.html, chemical balance in groundwater bodies (lower left, ) and heavy metals (lower right), http://www.compendiumvoordeleefomgeving.nl/indicatoren/nl0266-Zware-metalen-in-landbouwgronden.html?i=11-14

The European Nitrates and Water Framework Directives have introduced standards for emission and groundwater concentrations of nitrates and phosphates, in order to prevent eutrophication of habitats, groundwater bodies and surface-water systems. The reduction of phosphate surplus on agriculture land and the nitrate concentration in groundwater were caused by intensification of standards for manuring, which has resulted in less application of manure and fertiliser. In 2009, the average surplus of phosphate on agricultural land was 40 kg/ha P₂O₅. Nitrate concentrations do not yet meet the standards, especially in the sandy regions. Recently, the rate of reduction has slowed down. However, most of the Dutch groundwater bodies meet the chemical standards, resulting from the fact that the Netherlands apply the standards of the Water Framework Directive in greater depth in the groundwater than those of the Nitrates Directive.

High concentrations of heavy metals in the soil have negative impacts on soil ecosystems and might threaten the quality of crops. The standards for heavy metals are being exceeded in large parts of the Netherlands, mainly resulting from historic emissions from zinc melting furnaces in the south-west, and the past application of urban compost in peat areas in the west. Exceedence of copper standards mainly originates from application of chemical fertilizers and manure. Due to legislation copper and zinc concentrations in these substances have reduced significantly since 2000.