North Rim program: working together for a greener future
The college has officially adopted the North Rim Program. This marks an important milestone in the joint efforts to protect and further develop the Noordrand as a high-quality green zone. With this, a new phase begins: the realization of concrete plans to protect and restore the landscape, strengthen agriculture, improve water quality, develop new nature and offer new prospects for entrepreneurs in the area.
Heading for conservation and enhancement
The Noordrand forms a green backyard in the Randstad and is a multifaceted area where nature, agriculture, recreation and heritage come together and reinforce each other. This unique area is part of the varied Dune, Horst & Meadow landscape, with vast meadows, lines of sight to the dunes and valuable ecological, cultural-historical and archaeological elements. The Noordrand program aims to preserve and strengthen the unique values of this special landscape. There will be a green connection for animals and plants between Lentevreugd and the Green Heart, nature-friendly banks will be constructed and meadow birds (such as the skylark, meadow pipit and black-tailed godwit) will get much more space.
Broad-based program
The program came about after an intensive participation process, involving more than 25 working workshops and several residents' evenings. This resulted in a widely supported program that reflects the main wishes and ideas of the community.
Future
"Together with our partners, we enthusiastically look forward to a future in which the Noordrand becomes increasingly nature-inclusive, climate-resilient and biodiverse," said Wim Koetsier, Alderman Space, Mobility and Sustainability. "The Noordrand is a vibrant 360-hectare area where living, working, recreation, nature and agriculture come together. With this program we enrich the landscape with nature-friendly banks, waterways and woodlands, allowing meadow birds, insects and special plants to find their place. At the same time, farmers remain active and play a key role in nature-inclusive management."
From program to implementation
The municipality will get to work on the follow-up process, which will be dominated by the development of concrete plans for which more than €13 million is available through the province. In the coming period there will be close cooperation with various stakeholders, including neighboring municipality of Katwijk, entrepreneurs, the State Property Company, the province of South Holland, the Rijnland Water Board, Dunea, interest groups and private individuals. Together they will work to realize the shared ambitions, such as vital agriculture, strengthening nature and a healthier living environment.
