Bufferzones rondom De Groote Peel.

: Milieudruk op kwetsbare natuur verminderen door ruimtelijke inrichting.

Abstract

De Groote Peel is a 1.348 hectare Natura 2000 National Park, forming one of the last remnants of raised bog in the Netherlands and hosting protected peat bog flora and fauna. The park is subject to environmental pressures from the surrounding area, including desiccation, nitrogen deposition, and increasing exposure to pesticides. This report investigates to what extent the implementation of a buffer zone could mitigate these pressures. The study combines a literature study, a case study, GIS-based spatial analysis of land use, ammonia concentrations, and emission sources in and around De Groote Peel. Current pressures as well as the potential mitigating effects of a buffer zone are assessed. The results show a shift in surrounding land use from grassland to the cultivation of more water- and pesticide-intensive crops. Nitrogen deposition values remain above the national critical deposition values and are the highest on the edges nearest to livestock farms. Recent measurements show that a wide range of pesticides have been found even in the core of the National Park. Ongoing desiccation is a result of local groundwater extraction exacerbated by the more extreme weather patterns associated with climate change. Buffer zones could provide mitigation of these pressures by increasing the distance to source emissions, providing wetland restoration measures, a vegetative barrier, and promoting more sustainable forms of agriculture. Based on this analysis three buffer zone configurations are presented (1km, 2-3km, and 3-5km wide), ranging from a protective shell with strict regulations, to a layered, multifunctional zone supporting integrated ecosystem restoration. This report concludes by recommending a phased implementation of these buffer zones, long-term monitoring, and increased collaboration between stakeholders.

Date of Award	12 Feb 2026
Original language	Dutch
Supervisor	Raoul Beunen (Supervisor), Ivonne Saanen (Co-assessor) & Angelique Lansu (Examiner)