Nature Balance 2006: Dutch landscapes and nature become more uniform

The Dutch countryside is losing its rural and open character and is increasingly affected by visually intrusive developments. More and more farm buildings have a purely residential function, and farming is becoming more industrial in character. Also the Dutch nature is becoming more uniform. The numbers of characteristic plant and animal species continue to fall, although the area of wildlife habitat and protected areas has expanded and environmental conditions have improved. The EU target of halting the loss of biodiversity by 2010 probably cannot be achieved in the Netherlands.