This study to investigate how the different Dutch provinces monitor regionally oriented policy and its effect on environmental protection areas has shown the goals of this policy not yet interpretable in terms of concrete environmental quality demands. The relationship between goals, actual environmental load, action for protection realized and desired environmental quality is often not clear. Although monitoring is carried out in many of the regionnally oriented projects, its coordination and organization is generally insufficient at the provincial level. Practically nowhere is the monitoring system complete, both technically and organizationally speaking. Coordination from a central point is non-existent. Existing monitoring systems are primarily directed to reporting progress and costs to the principals. In general, there is insufficient insight into the relationship between measures taken and the region-specific environmental goals. Furthermore, it is unclear how information is used for re-adjustment in the execution of projects. In most projects environmental monitoring is still in the development phase. Zero measurements have only been carried out in a limited number of projects. The focus at the moment in the provinces is working on a more systematic monitoring set-up and elaboration.