Kwekers_Bode_UK_june_2022

Page 10

June 2022

SPECIAL

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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


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