With more and more people heading into the forests during the lockdown, park rangers are concerned
Forest rangers in the province of Drenthe are concerned about the degradation of nature in well-known reserves. Due to the lockdown, more and more people have come to walk in the forests and other reserves, which is causing unrest now that the breeding season is about to start.
Nature preservation organisations like Drentse Landschap, Staatsbosbeheer, Natuurmonumenten and the province of Drenthe have all called on visitors to take into account the rules in the nature reserves, reports RTV Drenthe.
“It is important that visitors realize that they are entering Mother Nature’s nursery in the spring,” says Uko Vegter, head of nature and landscape team at Het Drentse Landschap to RTV Drenthe.
Vulnerable areas were temporarily closed during the breeding season last year.
Nevertheless, people regularly walked straight through the closed area, causing serious disturbances for breeding cranes, among other things. Forest rangers still see people walking or cycling off paths, and incidents involving stray dogs have increased.
The panic this can cause can have major consequences. A fleeing deer can run onto the road. A nesting bird that has to fly up again and again because people or dogs walk close to the nest will not keep its eggs warm, leading to the death of the chicks.
Image via Marketing Drenthe.
