Staatsbosbeheer

Description

Staatsbosbeheer is a Dutch government organization responsible for forestry and the management of nature reserves. It was founded in 1899 to oversee the country’s state forests.

Today it oversees more than 250,000 hectares of land across the Netherlands, though forest itself makes up only a small part of this, alongside dunes, polders and wetlands. Most of this land is open to the public for recreation, though rules such as leash requirements or daytime-only access sometimes apply. These varied landscapes support a wide range of plant and animal life across the country.

Staatsbosbeheer runs eight visitor centres and provincial offices, and each nature area has its own dedicated forest ranger. It organizes excursions, camping and holiday accommodation in its reserves, and manages requests to lease its land for farming or other use.

The organization follows a formal complaints procedure and processes freedom-of-information requests under the Dutch Open Government Act. It also works with journalists who cover nature and countryside topics.