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Land-Sparing and Land-Sharing in Dutch National Parks: A Historical and Transition Perspective

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  • Jorien Zevenberg

    (Integrated Research on Energy, Environment and Society, University of Groningen, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands)

  • Henny J. van der Windt

    (Integrated Research on Energy, Environment and Society, University of Groningen, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands)

Abstract

Global biodiversity rates remain in decline despite the fact that worldwide 16% of the land is protected. Some argue that to stop the biodiversity decline, a shift from “land-sparing” (agricultural production and nature conservation on different plots of land) towards “land-sharing” (both activities on the same plot of land) may be needed. We use the regime dimensions of the multi-level perspective to analyze the development and implementation of land-sparing and land-sharing in Dutch national parks as they are experimenting with this. Our qualitative text-based analysis of Dutch national park policy documents from 1930 until 2022 shows that the first Dutch national parks focused on nature conservation and land-sparing. In contrast, the so-called Dutch national landscape parks were the first serious attempt to integrate nature conservation and agriculture and to implement land-sharing. However, this failed because of the misalignment between nature conservation and agriculture at that time. A new attempt is currently being made with the national parks “new style” in which more land-sharing should take place. We argue that for this, a hybrid agriculture nature-conservation regime is needed for which different dimensions of both regimes should align, which currently appears to be starting in The Netherlands.

Suggested Citation

  • Jorien Zevenberg & Henny J. van der Windt, 2025. "Land-Sparing and Land-Sharing in Dutch National Parks: A Historical and Transition Perspective," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-23, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:14:y:2025:i:4:p:808-:d:1630916
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    References listed on IDEAS

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