This report, commissioned by the Shell Research Foundation, describes a concept for harvesting more biomass for energy on and around the Netherlands’ De Veluwe national park in such a way that nature comes out stronger. Its implementation would allow biomass to make a welcome contribution to nature conservation and nature development.
Dutch conservation policy is not on track, witness recent reports from the National Auditor’s Office and the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, among others. New ‘push factors’ for nature development are therefore urgently needed. From the perspective of the transition to sustainable energy systems, too, ‘high-energy nature’ is important. In many energy scenarios biomass is set to play an ever greater role, but there are major concerns that this trend will be at the expense of nature, biodiversity and food production. The concept elaborated in this report shows that, if properly organised, biomass can make a positive contribution.