Tourism in nature has seen a rise since the onset of coronavirus in the Netherlands. A new survey by De Monitor, a Dutch TV program, reports that three-quarters of forest rangers and BOAs (enforcement officers) say “tourism is getting out of hand.”
The survey asked 158 boas and forest rangers and BOAs about current conditions in the Netherlands’ nature reserves. Nearly all of those surveyed (98%) said there was a noticeable increase in recreational traffic. Of them, 83% think the increase in visitors leads to problems with waste, illegal parties, and disruption to quiet and vulnerable areas.
Lennard Jasper, a forester in the North Veluwe, says, “If I had not cleaned up anything in the past month, the Veluwe would simply have become a gang or a pigsty.” He’s observed a particular increase in the amount of junk left behind in nature reserves and forests, and on walking and cycling paths.
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Feature Image: Brin Andrews/supplied