Saldering natuur op het Voorland bij de Stichtse Brug, Blaricum: Analyse van de geschiktheid van salderingspercelen

This report presents a study on the suitability of several sites that have been proposed as compensation (‘saldering’) for loss of area and quality of species-rich grasslands in the Dutch Nature Network (NNN) near Blaricum, as a result of the development of recreation facilities (the construction of a sand beach and a restaurant). It appears that the soil, vegetation and hydrology on the proposed compensation sites differs strongly from the negatively affected species-rich grasslands: the former are tall-herb dominated grasslands on clayey soils without inundation and contain no species of nature interest, while the affected grasslands on temporary moist sandy soil contain many threatened and rare species and represent a site of high nature value in the Netherlands. Although both sites may be classified under the same ‘nature type’ their quality is very different. It is concluded that the proposed compensation results in a serious loss of area and quality of nature within the Dutch Nature Network. Therefore it is not according to the provincial compensatory laws and guidelines.