Signal All 19 Red List species groups declining; species count up 13% since 1990

Summary

The report describes the overall state of Dutch biodiversity as bleak and records that all 19 species groups on the Red List are in decline. Populations in open nature, farmland and urban areas have shrunk, and species such as the turtle dove, grey partridge and skylark are doing particularly badly. The report explains that Dutch nature suffers from habitat fragmentation, agricultural intensification and nitrogen deposition. On the other hand, the number of species found in the Netherlands has grown by 13 percent since 1990. The report explains that this rise comes mainly from freshwater animal species, as improved water quality has allowed species such as the otter to return. It regards this as a clear result of stepped-up nature restoration efforts.