Recreatie, recreatieverzorging en natuurbescherming in de Kennemerduinen

Type, nature and behaviour of visitors seeking recreation in the Kennemer Dunes National Park were studied to try to define their recreational needs.The influence of the visitors on nature was examined. The area is undulating with a diverse landscape and is easily accessible to all types of traffic. The vegetation demonstrates innumerable variations of the calcareous dunes and the moist dune valleys. The establishment of a large lake gave a rich variety of birds.The annual number of visitors steadily increased since opening. In 1959 there were 465,000. More than half the visitors cycled. Paddling pools attracted many children. In 1959 30 % of the campers came from abroad. Half of Dutch campers were only week-enders, two thirds cif them from Amsterdam, but only half of the camping holiday-makers came from there. A sixth of both week-enders and holidaymakers came from Haarlem. About two thirds and three quarters of the respective groups camped as family groups.The influence of recreational activities upon landscape, fauna and flora was appreciably less than that of water catchment, plantation, myxomatosis among rabbits and hunting requirements. Several measures were taken to protect landscape, flora and fauna.