Precedents in The Netherlands
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Trees of Presidio Park, 1987 (left) and 2013 (right). Courtesy of Google Aerial Imagery.
Marken Island, The Netherlands Marken is a 350 acre peninsula, 11 miles Northeast of Amsterdam in the Zuiderzee, province of Waterland. Marken was separated from the mainland in the 13th century during the formation of the Zuiderzee. Each village or ‘dorp’ is sited on a natural highpoint, as flooding was a natural and cyclical occurrence that the local population did not choose to keep out. Flooded fields are anticipated, and houses grouped on the small mounds, reinforced with piles to protect against high tides. Since 1957, the island has been connected to the mainland by a causeway and a surrounded by a large dyke. Before the Zuiderzee was made into the IJsselmeer by the 19-mile (30-km) Afsluitdijk, the inhabitants of Marken and its neighbouring island of Volendam made their living from fishing, especially for eels. Currently agriculture and tourism are the main industries for the small 2,000 person population.
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Marken Island. Images courtesy of the Google Images
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