"Natura 2000 impacts negatively the balance between ecology and economy." A few weeks ago our Prime Minister Balkenende wrote this to Barroso the Chair of the European Commission. He sketched a picture that Natura 2000 was a far too heavy obstacle to economic recovery and progress in our small country. In an article in one of our major newspapers two ecologists argue it is the other way around. They illustrate their point with a map. It shows the Dutch Natura 2000 sites in their European context. The sites cover just over 8% of our territory and are mostly water areas. Most of the land surface - where economic activities take place - is white. The few sites on land, the ecologists argue, are under heavy threat by nitrogen from agricultural activities. The map for me says more than the whole article.
Sunday, 21 February 2010
Map proves PM wrong
"Natura 2000 impacts negatively the balance between ecology and economy." A few weeks ago our Prime Minister Balkenende wrote this to Barroso the Chair of the European Commission. He sketched a picture that Natura 2000 was a far too heavy obstacle to economic recovery and progress in our small country. In an article in one of our major newspapers two ecologists argue it is the other way around. They illustrate their point with a map. It shows the Dutch Natura 2000 sites in their European context. The sites cover just over 8% of our territory and are mostly water areas. Most of the land surface - where economic activities take place - is white. The few sites on land, the ecologists argue, are under heavy threat by nitrogen from agricultural activities. The map for me says more than the whole article.
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