Public support for nature conservation is growing and the Dutch are playing an increasingly active role. Their motives are becoming more diverse.

Growing commitment to nature conservation

The Dutch are becoming increasingly supportive of and active in nature conservation. The nature conservation organisations in the Netherlands have seen their memberships rise over the last 15 years. In 2005 all the nature conservation, environmental and animal protection organisations had a combined membership of almost four million. Naturmonumenten, WWF and Greenpeace are the top three. At the same time, the number of active conservation volunteers has risen. The number of volunteers working to protect meadow birds has doubled and the numbers taking part in surveys have tripled.

 Memberships of nature conservation organisations have risen sharply over the last 15 years (sources: Natuurmonumenten, De Landschappen, WWF, Dutch Society for the Protection of Birds)

Various motives for nature conservation

People’s motives for supporting nature conservation are becoming more diverse. For the majority of the Dutch it has either become habitual or is a matter of conviction. But there is a growing group who back conservation for economic or emotional reasons; for them nature is a source of income. Some people simply consider nature conservation organisations to be one of the good causes you should support.

Back to Nature Balance 2006      Young people and nature