Forest rangers and green boas have seen an increase in the number of recreationists in nature reserves in recent years. According to almost three quarters of them, the crowds have a negative effect on nature, according to a tour of Monday The Monitor.
Half of the 158 surveyed foresters and green boas from Staatsbosbeheer, De Landschappen and Natuurmonumenten have had to deal with “dangerous actions between recreationists” in recent years.
Many of these actions are linked to opposition to mountain bike trails, he said The Monitor. For example, thumbtacks or glass shards are scattered on those paths, holes are dug or iron wire strung.
This year it is also a lot busier in the nature reserves due to the corona crisis. 83 percent of the forest rangers surveyed say that the extra hustle and bustle has led to new nuisance, such as illegal parties in quiet areas and camping in places where this is not allowed.
According to Lennard Jasper, one of the forest rangers surveyed, last summer was “the straw that broke the bucket”.
“I understand very well that Dutch people sought out the outdoor space and went on holiday here on the Veluwe. But the fuss and behavior that this entailed was sometimes really wrong. If I had not cleaned up anything in the past months, the Veluwe has just become a gang or a pigsty, “he says The Monitor.
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