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Dieren en planten

Water en land

Mens en Milieu

Nature policy   Flora and Fauna Act   

Flora and Fauna Act

In order to protect species found in the wild, the Netherlands has one law, the Flora and Fauna Act, which became effective in 2002. The European treaties and directives (Habitat and Bird Directives) and international treaties (CITES) have been translated in this law. It regulates the protection of species, establishment of protected habitats, possibilities for management and combatting damage, trade in protected species and hunting wild animals.

  • Rare Species

    An animal or plant species is added to the Red List if it is rare and is declining in number in various places. The lists are made in commission of the Ministry for Nature. Because the Red List does not have a legal status, these threatened species are included in the Flora and Fauna Act. The Red Lists help when establishing which species need to be protected.

  • Protected habitats

    The law also offers the possibility to designate a landscape element or an object as protected habitat, such as a bunker where bats spend the winter. This makes it possible to forbid activities which could damage it.

  • Management and damage control

    Because some animals cause damage, exemption or dispensation can be granted from the prohibitions in the Flora and Fauna Act. The provinces have the most authority in that case. Momentarily, moles, rabbits, wood pigeons, black crows and jackdaws are allowed to be shot. A special rule for geese (white-fronted and greylag geese) has been set in the Policy Regulation for Fauna Management. The geese are totally protected in special foraging areas but may be shot outside of the areas.

  • Trade in protected species

    Business in plant and animal species is tied to strict rules. CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) isimportant when it concerns international trad. The Flora and Fauna Act is for those species that do not fall under CITES.

  • Hunting

    The law only allows hunting six animal species: hares, pheasants, mallard ducks, rabbits, wood pigeons and partridge. However, partridges are on the Red List, which protects them from being hunted. The Ministry for Nature (LNV) has determined per species when it may be hunted. A regime of management and damage control counts for species other than game. Hunting fox has been allowed again since 1 April 2006. In the framework of the management and damage control, the Flora and Fauna Act also allows for animals to be shot when they have caused damage, such as the greylag goose by the Amstelmeer dike and moles in gardens.