Green Plan and Eco-Guide

Apeldoorn Municipal Green Plan

Apeldoorn is a green municipality. Our Green Plan (pdf, 1.3 MB) sets out what we want to preserve and enhance about our green character. We will do this by focusing on three green objectives over the coming years:

1. The natural system provides a resilient foundation for nature and the ecosystem
2. Green initiatives help to mitigate the effects of climate change
3. Green spaces contribute to the health of our residents

We are achieving these objectives through four green initiatives: strengthening our green-blue network in and around the city; bringing more green and blue to the Veluwe’s city centre; creating more and better green spaces in neighbourhoods and villages; and enhancing characteristic landscapes. The replacement of tree populations and vegetation, and the introduction of more colour and floral displays, form an integral part of the plan. In this regard, we are working closely with residents, village and neighbourhood councils, community organisations, businesses, partners and other local authorities.

Eco-guide

The Eco-guide (PDF 1.6 MB) provides an insight into the state of nature in Apeldoorn and sets out what further action is needed to maintain and enhance ecological connectivity and biodiversity. In doing so, we also take into account the widespread public concern about the significant decline in species diversity and populations of, for example, insects and bees. As a local authority, we can contribute to strengthening biodiversity. Whilst we must, of course, fulfil our statutory duties, we are committed to restoring both green and built-up areas. In part, this builds on the Green Plan. We are focusing on four key objectives. Collaboration with residents is crucial in this regard:

1. More proactive protection
2. Nature-inclusive construction
3. Managing biodiversity more effectively
4. Living more mindfully

The Eco-guide stems from the Animal Welfare Memorandum. The council has called for a clearer understanding of Apeldoorn’s current vision regarding ecology, developments and challenges. By focusing specifically on these areas, the guide also serves to expand on the Green Plan’s provisions on biodiversity and ecology.

How do we go about doing that?

We are achieving the objectives set out in our Green Plan and the Eco-guide in two ways: the first is by taking the initiative ourselves as a local authority. We are strengthening the main green infrastructure, practising ecological management, and ensuring that our iconic tree populations are looked after and, where necessary, replaced in good time.

In addition, we are actively encouraging our residents to help ensure that there is more greenery and more space for plants and animals. We are doing this together with partners such as the Vallei en Veluwe Water Board and IVN Apeldoorn.

Green Mal

Since 2001, we have been using the so-called ‘Groene Mal’ in our policy. This is a kind of roadmap covering the entire municipality of Apeldoorn, which identifies key green areas. The Groene Mal focuses primarily on the development and conservation of green areas and the restoration of streams.

The Green Corridor also runs through the city. In this way, we show that Apeldoorn is a green city through and through. These green spaces serve many purposes. They provide a green working and living environment, make staying in Apeldoorn a pleasant experience and encourage residents and visitors alike to get out and about. But they also contribute to our health, help cool the city as temperatures rise, and bring play areas to life. And, of course, they also serve as a hub for urban nature and biodiversity.

You can see how the green spaces – also known as green infrastructure – are organised within the city:

• The avenues, the parks, the green verges along the main roads
• The streams and springs
• The Apeldoorn Canal and the Weteringen
• The green spaces that link the town and the surrounding countryside (Wolvenbos, Drostendal, Zonnehoeve, Elsbosweg)
• The green spaces on the outskirts of the city (Weteringsebroek, Landgoed Woudhuis, Beekbergerwoud)

The ‘Groene Mal’ has led to the creation of a green park area covering approximately 30 hectares in the Zuidbroek neighbourhood. This green area connects to the Weteringsebroek and the park in the Zonnehoeve neighbourhood. That park, in turn, connects to the Woudhuis. The development of shared use for nature and recreation in the Weteringsebroek is also based on the ‘Groene Mal’.

With the introduction of the Environmental Vision, work is underway to create a Climate-Resilient Green Network, which will also connect the green spaces in the outlying areas. As well as green spaces, we also want to retain and store more water in the low-lying areas. In this way, we are making Apeldoorn more climate-resilient.