State of affairs
The plans are ready
The plans for the new farm structure were made by the Duijndam family together with the Initiatiefgroep Natuurbeheer Delft* and Alterra. During several meetings other persons and parties were involved, like representatives of regional governments, nature volunteers or active citizens and recreational entrepreneurs. They also gave input concerning the plan.
Farming plan and lay-out plan
A farming plan was made for a new nature-oriented type of management. Characteristic for this is that the business has to be self-sufficient. Neither manure, nor feed can be supplied. A calculation has been made on what this would mean for the growth of the crops, the number of cows that can be held and the total yearly milk production. After that, calculations were made to determine the decrease of financial results of the agricultural production and the allowance that would be received for the ‘production' of nature and landscape. How nature and landscape will develop is also described in the plan. The Government Service for Land and Water Management translated this into a lay-out plan, also after intensive discussions with the stakeholders.
Declaration of intent and financing
November 27th 2003 regional administrators signed a declaration of intent to start the realization of the plans in the Polder van Biesland. But it goes beyond smooth talk: the administrators also promised to arrange the financial part. The Minister of Agriculture, Nature Management and Food Quality promised financial support, if local parties would contribute financially. With the Green Fund agreements were made about the way the funds would be managed.
It finally begins
After the green light came from Brussels (July 2006 and December 2007) hard work was done to adapt the contracts to the European standards. The Province of South-Holland is the official partner of the Duijndam family. March 7th 2007, the regional governments and the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Food Quality signed a partnership agreement, after which the actual amounts will be deposited in the fund. The implementation agreement between the farmer and the province will start as of January 1st 2008. From that moment on, Farming for Nature will be in progress. There is funding for about 20 years, but it is the intention of all parties to turn that into at least 30 years.