Nature types in the Netherlands, 2023

A management type is a type of nature for which a certain management regime applies

Index NL is a typology of ‘nature types’, which are further subdivided into ‘management types’. Natural and semi-natural areas in the Netherlands are categorised into 17 nature types, which are subdivided into 49 management types. These management types are based on vegetation structure and environmental conditions, such as hydrological conditions and trophic status. A management type is therefore a type of nature for which certain management measures are needed to maintain the vegetation structure and environmental conditions that support it. An example is nature type ‘N15 Dry forests’, with management type ‘N15.01 Wooded dunes’ and ‘N15.02 Pine, oak and beech forest’.

Before Index NL was adopted, different organisations worked with different typologies, such as the nature target typology used by government authorities for describing conservation objectives, the management package typology for management subsidies and various different typologies used by site managers for habitat management. Most of these typologies have been replaced by Index NL. A typology that has not been replaced and which is used alongside Index NL are the habitat types in the EU Habitats Directive.

Index NL has given rise to a uniform picture of the types of nature found in the Netherlands: the management types map indicates the presence and locations of these management types. For the purposes of this indicator, the 49 management types on the management types map have been grouped together into seven more general types: five terrestrial ecosystem types (forest, heath, open dunes, marsh and semi-natural grasslands), a ‘large-scale dynamic ecosystem’ and water. These seven ecosystem types are shown on the map. The classification into management types, nature types and ecosystem types, with their associated areas, is included in the downloadable data.

Description of management types used for management subsidies

Management types are used to control management operations via the management subsidy and the nature conservation management plans, and for monitoring ecological quality. They form the basis for agreements between the provinces and site managers on objectives (ecological quality) and resources (subsidies). The descriptions of the management types contain the management measures for maintaining the management type, while the level of subsidy is based on the costs of implementing these measures. Via the Nature and Landscape Management Subsidy System (SNL), the provinces grant subsidies for the conservation and development of management types in nature conservation areas, agri-environment areas and landscapes. Index NL therefore also contains a description of agricultural nature types and landscape elements. From 2016, the classification system used for agri-environment and landscape management consists of agricultural habitats (= agricultural nature types).

More information on agrarisch natuurbeheer, 1981-2023

Provincial nature conservation management plans

The nature conservation management plan is an instrument for implementing provincial conservation objectives at the level of individual sites. The key element in the nature conservation management plan is the management types map from Index NL. For each area the plan sets out which management types are eligible for funding and the conditions that apply. Under the SNL, funding can only be given for management types that are included in the nature conservation management plan.

Besides the management types map, the nature conservation management plan also contains an ambitions map (not illustrated here). The ambitions map shows which management types should be developed over the next five to ten years. In areas where the ambition level is higher and the ecological quality can be improved, funding may be obtained under the ‘quality initiative for nature and landscape’ (Kwaliteitsimpuls natuur en landschap) or the subsidy scheme for converting agricultural land to nature and improving the ecological quality of existing natural or semi-natural areas (inrichtingssubsidie). This ambitions map can only be used in combination with the nature conservation management plans.

Monitoring ecological quality

Besides being instrumental in objective-based management and funding landscape and conservation management, Index NL can also be used for monitoring ecological quality. The descriptions of ecological quality for the management types make use of different quality levels. The following parameters are particularly relevant for defining quality levels for management types: flora and fauna, structure, abiotic environmental conditions and spatial conditions. When assessing the quality of the ‘large-scale dynamic ecosystem’ types, the presence of landscape-forming processes and key species that belong in such landscapes, such as the beaver and wild boar, are also taken into account. How quality is to be determined is specified for each parameter for each management type: the number of species and which species should be present, water levels, important structural elements, etc. These criteria are used to define three quality classes: ‘high’, ‘moderate’ and ‘poor’. Changes in quality are detected through a basic monitoring system consisting of vegetation mapping, surveying three species groups (qualifying species are mainly breeding birds, vascular plants and butterflies) and measuring environmental conditions (reduced groundwater levels/desiccation, eutrophication, acidification, ecological connectivity) and the structural characteristics of the sites. The management types map provides the basis for this monitoring and assessment. 

Management types map used for multiple indicators

The management types map is an important geodatabase, because the management types are described in terms of their management regime, vegetation structure and environmental conditions, such as water regime and trophic status. The map therefore serves as an important basis for multiple indicators for ecological quality, environmental quality and spatial conditions (habitat suitability). In all these indicators, the management types have been grouped together into more general ecosystem types. 

Indicators for which the management types map is used:

• Ecosysteemkwaliteit (areaal), 1994-2017
• Ecosystem quality and trends in soil pH, 2018
• Ecosystem quality and trends in groundwater-dependent ecosystems, 2018