Various environmental groups in the Netherlands have called on the Dutch parliament to invest money in bird protection. Last week Natuurmonumenten and the Dutch partner of BirdLife International, together with five other agencies, sent the strong message to the Minister of Landscape, Nature and Food Quality.
The number of meadow birds in the Netherlands is declining dramatically. The Meadow Bird Alliance (Weidevogelverbond) was created to slow or reverse this trend. On 15 June this year, various parties involved in the well-being of these birds created an action plan. Groups in attendance included forest rangers, land-management groups, volunteer groups and government agencies. The alliance’s plan hopes to halt the decline of meadow birds by 2010.
Public support for protecting the birds is great, in large part due to successful information campaigns conducted by various environmental groups over the years. The Netherlands is a great breeding ground for many migratory birds and therefore does have a regional and global responsibility to take care of the birds that breed and raise their young in Holland.
Source: Eensgezinde oproep aan Kamer: investeer in weidevogelbeheer
