June 2022
SPECIAL
10
Text: Nursery Stock Trade Fair GrootGroenPlus
BIODIVERSITY IS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE, BUT THE MOWING POLICY IS A POINT OF DISCUSSION Biodiversity is very important. Growers and governments agree on this. However, when it comes to the mowing policy,
obliged to use weed control products,
municipalities actually aware of the additional biodiversity that the various crops bring, and which crops provide the
weeds. It would be nice if municipalities
major differences of opinion remain. There are also differing views within the growers’ community itself. Are nursery
most biodiversity? And what influence does the ‘let it grow and spread’ policy have on cultivation in the area? GrootGroenPlus discussed this with the Agro Biodiversity Work Group of Treeport and the ‘tree nursery municipalities’ of Zundert and Boskoop.
Last year, many municipalities in West
trees and plants and that sicknesses and
we grow a product that contributes
to mow their roadsides and ditches
ways than only chemical. However, these
I think it is of the utmost importance that
Brabant – including Zundert – decided in a different way. This is done in a
collaboration between 13 municipalities in Western Brabant, the Brabant Delta water board, the State Forestry and
the Bijenlandschap (bee landscape
organisation). The main reason is that all participants want to mow ecologically and bee friendly. The biggest change
brought about by this decision is that the roadsides and ditches are mown
less often. By protecting nature and the
habitat of various insects, biodiversity in the area should be improved.
Growers of nursery stock are the natural partners in the pursuit of biodiversity. In this context, Treeport has created the
Agro Biodiversity Work Group. We spoke with chairwoman Jolanda van Hasselt
about the purpose of this work group and about the way in which you can strive for greater biodiversity in cooperation with
the governments. “Knowledge about agro biodiversity is limited and fragmented
plagues need to be fought in different
growers often lack practical tools to deal with this. We want to use the work group to combine all existing knowledge, both scientific and from experience, and put it into practice. The pursuit of a greater
degree of biodiversity is not new. Jolanda van Hasselt: “Actually, we have been
working on this for many years. A number
of growers started sowing flower mixtures as soil fertilizers in corners or empty pits instead of spraying everything with a
weed control substance or keeping the
soil nice and black with a machine. And we feel that more growers should join
that pursuit, or even better: every resident in Zundert and the surrounding area.
Van Hasselt: “As growers of nursery stock,
pre-eminently to biodiversity. Therefore, the government and local authorities
consider us a partner in this pursuit. And that’s what’s missing sometimes.” The
mowing policy turns out to be a hot topic. By refraining from mowing, the herbs get the opportunity to spread. That’s nice,
but not if your nursery land also gets the full layer of those scattered herbs. “For
management, that they also have a
spraying license and that they don’t get
paid for weed management.” Van Hasselt notes, however, that some progress has
been made. What used to be absolutely non-negotiable is now becoming
negotiable. “All parties must clearly
indicate where the problem lies and then try to find the best solution. Tree growers
also find biodiversity of great importance and often contribute to this through their cultivation.”
for nurseries with seeds, it’s disastrous
municipalities contribute to increasing
in the spring. The beautiful flowery
roadsides are not the problem, but the many seeds that blow over and end
up between your plants cause a lot of
misery. Buyers still want to receive plants without additional weeds. Sometimes,
we feel like we cannot win. First, we were
On behalf of trade fair GrootGroenPlus: Chantal van Kuyck, trade fair manager.
growers see that a natural balance can
biodiversity. GrootGroenPlus has been an active partner of this foundation for more
will take place in Zundert. This is a unique, massive event, with a lot of attention for than 10 years.
have the expertise when it comes to
The diversity of species and varieties
a problem,” says Van Hasselt, “however,
when it comes to growing nursery stock,”
have a positive effect on the growth of
and water boards realized that growers
growing standard tree, that isn’t much of
“On 16 November, the national celebration of ‘Stichting Nationale Boomfeestdag’
says van Hasselt. Increasingly more
and now we get a fine if we control the
produced in the tree nursery
biodiversity in those municipalities in a
positive way. The shelter, the food supply, the opportunity to migrate and to nest
etc. all differ among crops, but the total picture is overwhelming and of a much
higher value than is often seen now. It is a
combination and teamwork of organisms and plants.
Taking into account all stakeholders
At the time of writing this article, the
new board of mayor and aldermen had not yet taken office in the municipality of Zundert. However, the municipal
organisation considered it to be very
important to reflect the municipality’s
