NEW NATURE WITH NATIVE TREES AND SHRUBS

Trees form an attractive and valuable part of our natural heritage. Landscapes without trees would make a desolate impression on us. And not only by the loss of beauty: for many of our wild plants and animals, trees and woods form the basis of their existence. Even humans cannot do without them. The Netherlands has more than 100 different species of native trees and shrubs. The largest proportion of which is becoming increasingly scarce, or is even threatened by extinction from the unbridled felling in the past and the pressure put on their natural habitats. Although reforestation projects of this century have led to an increase in total forest area in the Netherlands, the planted species have usually been of foreign origin or have come from far. The threat to the survival of native trees and shrubs in 1992 motivated the landscape ecologists Chris Rövekamp and Henny Ketelaar to establish the foundation Bronnen, centre for the distribution of native woody plants. In 1994, in addition to the foundation, a company was formed in which the management and administrative functions were exercised.

Bronnen is developing into a knowledge and productioncentre for the distribution of native woody plants in the Netherlands. Bronnen cultivates reliable plant material that is used for the revalidation and development of nature. To this end a network of nurseries working on a contract basis has been set up over recent years. More and more regional nurseries are commissioned by Bronnen to join the network. At present contracts are held with nurseries in South West Brabant, Guelderland, Utrecht and Groningen. Bronnen itself has a small nursery for smaller quantities of very rare species. Through cultivating native trees and shrubs on a large scale, Bronnen makes an important contribution to the conservation of threatened woody plant species. Market research shows that Bronnen is a unique and interesting initiative. Native trees and shrubs are hardly, if ever, available on the regular market, while the demand from buyers and users indicates a growing demand for this plant material. The growing demand for native woody plants is stimulated by the government policy for nature conservation and restoration in new nature areas. This policy is defined in the 'Structure Scheme for Green Space' amongst others. A consequence of the nature policy is that many places in the Netherlands have formed plans for new nature. The use of original native trees and shrubs is more often the central element in the development of new forestry. Bronnen has provided an important contribution to these activities over the past few years.

In the next decade millions of trees and shrubs are to be planted in the Netherlands by landscape departments (regional planners), municipal offices, waterboards and private nature conservation organizations. It is of great importance that these trees and shrubs are of reliable native origin.

AIM

Foundation Bronnen will function as a centre of knowledge for the distribution of original native (woody) plants. This objective will be realized by execution of the following activities:

1. Research and harvesting
2. Advising
3. Education and provision of information
4. Distribution of native trees and shrubs

Research and harvesting

Little systematic knowledge was available on reliable habitats of native woody plants. Such knowledge is necessary, especially in the case of rare and threatened species, in order to harvest sufficient seeds and cuttings from a diversity of locations. For this reason Bronnen works in close collaboration with the Ecological Advice Bureau Maes in Utrecht to study the growth sites of these native species. Such research was undertaken in 1993, 1994 and 1995 and was commissioned by the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fishing, Nature Conservation Organization and the Department of Land Planning in parts of Drenthe, Overijssel, Guelderland, Limburg, Brabant, Zeeland, South and North Holland and Utrecht. Because plant species are not limited by boundaries, Bronnen often focuses on other countries. Therefore research was also carried out in Belgium (the Voerstreek, the Flemish Ardennes, Belgian Limburg), Northern France and Germany (the central Rijn area). Bronnen has been commissioned to carry out research in North Netherlands, a large region in Nordrhein-Westfalen (Germany) and part of Flanders (Belgium) in 1996 and 1997.

Advice

The national policy for nature development and the conservation, revalidation and the re-establishment of rare species is defined in a number of government programmes. Within the framework of the Nature Policy Plan, the Long Term Forestation Plan and the Fourth Amendment for Spatial Planning - recently integrated in the Structure Scheme Green Space - large areas of forest are to be planted. No specified vision has yet been developed in these plans for possibilities to include native plant material. From various contacts with initiators of large scale nature development projects it is apparent that the demand for advice on the possibilities of using native plant material is increasing. Nature development projects are often thought of as letting nature take its course. Spontaneous development processes such as natural rejuvenation of forests, have priority in such projects. However, in situations where no parent sources of the desired species are present, they will have be (re)introduced. Practically all wooded areas in Western Europe are constructed by man, mostly as resources for wood production. This often implies that only the types that have economic value are represented. In addition, such forests show great differences to the natural forests of long ago. They miss the natural variation in age, they lack species diversity (particularly in the tree and shrub levels) and they miss natural grazers such as red deer, wisents or moose, which are determining factors in the structure and species selection.

Bronnen advises throughout the course of the whole project, from global plan and concept formulation to concrete execution of construction and row formation of vegetation. The incorporation of native material requires a specific approach. This involves the reintroduction of tree species in nature development projects, choice of species in relation to soil conditions, water management and the desired vegetation and plantation plan with plant co-relation and age grouping.
In short, Bronnen provides the following advisory services:

• preparation of construction plans;
• nature development projects;
• management scenarios;
• spatial planning projects.

Education and provision of information

In spite of formulated government policies there are many problem areas and questions arising related to native woody plants. Although much knowledge has been acquired over the past year and a half from research, it is apparent that this has not passed on to the interested public. The study day "Native trees and shrubs: how to contribute to the protection and reintroduction of native genetic material" origanized by the Ministry of LNV indicated that one of the major bottlenecks was the lack of good information sources. Here lies a task for Bronnen. It can be concluded that existing education and courses do not, or insufficiently, comprise information on the problems of native woody plants and the opportunities for their application. Up to the present day, Bronnen has spent much time and energy on the provision of such information. Experience has shown that large institutions in particular, such as the Spatial Planning Department, have a need for internal guidance, for example for the project managers of landscape planning projects. Foundation Bronnen foresees a task as provider of information on protection, reintroduction and other opportunities for application of native genetic material.

Distribution of native trees and shrubs

Bronnen does not want to limit its activities to education, information and advice. In order to realize the distribution of native plants, Bronnen aims to make these native trees and shrubs available on a wider scale. The initiative to establish Bronnen was stimulated by the threat to native woody plants. Some species are almost extinct, or have become extremely rare. Their valuable habitats, such as groves and remnants of former forests, are threatened. It is essential that action is taken quickly in order to prevent the irreversible loss of important genetic material.
In the spring of 1993 foundation Bronnen began a small scale nursery for the cultivation of trees and shrubs from self harvested seed. A number of native species were cultivated that were later used in spatial planning projects in Overijssel and South Limburg. In 1992 the harvesting programme was extended. From 1994 on, millions of seeds from over fifty species have been harvested annually. The seeds are then cultivated by reliable nurseries, under contract. From 1996, biennial saplings are grown to bigger trees for planting.
Please see 'Cultivation' for further information on harvesting and cultivation methods, and also available species of native trees and shrubs.