The Netherlands has set aside 18,000 hectares of coastal dunes as its newest national park, under the name De Hollandse Duinen.
The park incorporates several existing nature reserves in South Holland for an area up to 9 km from shoreline at its widest. It’s home to 7,000 species of plants and animals, including, surprisingly, Highland cattle. More than a million people live in the vicinity of the park’s boundaries. It also incorporates remnants of the World War II bunker network built by German troops.
The new designation is backed up with a €30 million budget that will help bring it up to standards that apply to all of the country’s national parks by 2030. Agriculture minister Jaimi van Essen told press that “The Hollandse Duinen are a unique area where nature, city and coast come together. This status will strengthen the co-operation that is already ongoing and give the area a recognisable international label.”
