Trend Steep long-term decline of Dutch biodiversity

Summary

The report finds that Dutch biodiversity has deteriorated very sharply over the past century, mainly because of habitat fragmentation, agricultural intensification and nitrogen deposition. The overall picture is bleak, with populations declining in open nature, farmland and urban areas and all 19 species groups on the Red List in decline. Species such as the turtle dove, grey partridge, skylark, burbot, adder, dusky large blue butterfly and natterjack toad are faring especially badly. Excessive nitrogen deposition has altered growing conditions so that vulnerable plants disappear, causing serious damage to natural areas. The largest sources of the nitrogen problem are intensive livestock farming, the biggest emitter of ammonia, and traffic, which contributes heavily to nitrogen oxides through vehicle exhaust, with industry, construction and deposition from abroad accounting for smaller shares.