bijlage 2 - Rapport Wageningen Uni over Waarden Telgter Eng (NL ENG)

2.3.1.

Provisioning

Provisioning ecosystem services are the services that provide something to humans in a tangible way. This entails goods like food, water, medicine, fuel and materials for clothing and building (Scotland’s Nature Agency, n.d.). Meadows and (peri-)urban grasslands are highly suitable for the production of aboveground biomass, which can be used as fodder for livestock (Paudel, S., & States, S. L., 2023). Livestock can be grazed on these grasslands to produce eggs, meat and dairy products. In peri-urban grasslands, game can be found that can be used for food, clothing and other materials. Especially in areas with a higher cultural connection with wild foods, this is a more common practice (Schulp, 2014). Additionally, urban meadows can host a diversity of herbaceous species that can be used as natural medicine (Chauhan, 2024). Around 25% of modern medicine that is prescribed to people is based on plants (Rates, 2001). Depending on the level of access to allopathic medicine, up to % of the world’s population relies on medicinal plants and other traditional practices (WHO, 2011). (Peri-)urban grasslands and meadows can also be used to produce biofuels (Liu et al., 2012).

When urban grasslands are not used to feed livestock the aboveground biomass that is produced can be used for biofuel production, especially grass and other cuttings from parks, lawns and public areas are suitable for this if the biofuel is produced locally (Brunzel et al. 2018). Grasslands can be used for a variety of materials (Bengtsson et al., 2019). The most prevalent material that can be harvested is grass itself to be used as thatch for buildings (Van Oudtshoorn, 2002). Grass can be woven into clothing, mats or other household items as well (Hart-Fredeluces et al., 2022).

2.3.2.

Cultural

Cultural ecosystem services (CES) are defined by the ‘Benefits from Nature Wheel’ framework as “ways in which nature impacts people’s health and well-being through recreational and education benefits as well as improving mental health and building spiritual connections” (Scotland’s Nature Agency, n.d.). Other popular definitions, such 28

as the one by the Millennium Ecosystem Agency (MEA), also include values such as aesthetic experiences and space for personal reflection, further characterising the mental health and spiritual connection aspects of CES (MEA, 2005). In terms of human health, grasslands, meadows and mostly any form of natural space within a (peri-)urban area have been associated with a range of benefits for human populations. For instance, the cooling effect of green spaces (see section 2.3.4.) on the air temperature has been associated with a reduction in thermal stress – reducing the risk of illnesses such as syncope and heat strokes (Kleerekoper et al., 2012) – and leading to an increased ability to perform outdoors activities, generally associated with increased physical and mental health in humans (e.g. reducing likelihood of cardiorespiratory diseases, decreasing risk and severity of depression and anxiety, among others). This effect has been noted to extend beyond the planted areas, affecting large portions of a (peri-)urban area (Lhomme-Duchadeuil, 2018). Dense and thick vegetation has also been linked to sound absorption and attenuation, decreasing noise pollution and preventing its associated health risks.

Additionally, (peri-)urban nature, besides preventing illnesses and diseases, is also used to treat mental and physical health conditions through ‘ecotherapy’ (Paudel & States, 2023). Such findings have been linked with nature’s ability to improve mood and cognitive processes (Hartig et al., 2003; Pritchard et al., 2020) as well as to increase the propensity to walk longer distances (Sarkar et al., 2015). More broadly, green spaces with significant ecosystem diversity have been associated with an increase in self-reported levels of overall well-being (Carrus et al., 2015). The general effects of nature and biodiversity on mental and physical well-being are further pronounced when recreational ecosystem services (RES) are available (Chiesura, 2004; Hermes et al., 2018; Balázsi et al., 2021). RES may include hiking, walking, biking, birdwatching and picnics, among many others. However, nature alone may not be sufficient – the presence of recreational amenities and infrastructures is associated with increased recreational value for humans (e.g. trails, campsites, horseback riding…) (Hermes et al., 2018). Moreover, tall grasses are not seen as beneficial for RES, as they tend to decrease human engagement in recreational activities (e.g. through fear of rashes and ticks) (Paudel & States, 2023) – thus, varied landscapes may lead to higher valuation of RES.

RES have also been reported as the basis of profitable economic activities that may benefit local communities in a variety of ways (Hermes et al., 2018). For instance, ‘eco-tourism’ and ‘community-based tourism’ have been found to be the sources of significant economic value for local communities, while also leading to higher appreciation of their local traditional culture and lifestyles. Meanwhile, these types of tourism also contribute to tourists’ knowledge of ecological and local values, as well as overall well-being (Carvalho Ribeiro et al., 2018; Hermes et al., 2018), potentially further stimulating the tourist-based economy. In fact, Huang (2015) asserts that local farmers 29

may particularly benefit from RES-based activities, as they are both “providers and beneficiaries” (35) simultaneously deriving economic and cultural value. Scientific literature on cultural ecosystem services also highlights the importance of aesthetic, inspirational and spiritual aspects of the landscape, especially with regards to creating a ‘sense of place’ – the “attachments and meanings that people […] attribute to place” (Tuan, 1977 in Tindale et al., 2023:12). Specifically, people tend to prefer highly diverse systems which are abundant in flowering plant species, are largely ‘open’, wild, have livestock and/or wildlife, and display aesthetic beauty (Graves et al., 2017; Tindale et al., 2023) – making diverse meadows more attractive than monotonous grasslands (Southon et al., 2019). In fact, colour and flower diversity were perceived as key for people’s inspiration, creativity and spiritual connection (Lhomme-Duchadeuil, 2018). Whenever such aspects were connected to cultural heritage, a sense of ‘home’, and/or personal (childhood) connections, these were deemed more valuable by local populations (Tindale et al., 2023).

Developing a sense of place and consequently place attachment has been deemed as a key aspect in developing citizen engagement in natural areas – leading to more “pro-environmental” behaviours (Tindale et al., 2023) – thus highlighting the importance of building such values when aiming to protect natural areas from urbanisation. However, this is strongly dependent on a person’s past personal experiences, beliefs and worldview (Tindale et al., 2023). The combination of recreational, inspirational, aesthetic and spiritual aspects of a landscape are also generally associated with increased social cohesion, as people tend to develop stronger social bonds when engaging in outdoor activities connected to culture, heritage and education within highly diversified natural spaces (Nowak-Olejnik et al., 2020; Balázsi et al., 2021; Paudel & States, 2023). Finally, educational values have also been associated with (peri-)urban meadows and grasslands, especially when located in the vicinity of schools and other educational institutions, and when the ecosystem is close to its native state (Paudel & States, 2023). Such educational values were observed to be higher when ecosystems were abundant in ‘charismatic’ species, which lead to higher levels of educational stimulation (Pralong, 2005 and Pereira et al., 2007 in Nowak-Olejnik et al., 2020).

Furthermore, educational activities focused on ecological knowledge and the values of grasslands were found to be beneficial for future citizen engagement in the care for the environment (Tindale et al., 2023).

2.3.3.

Supporting

An ecosystem could not function without supporting ecosystem services, which are defined by the ‘Benefits from Nature Wheel’ framework as “services, such as the nutrient cycle, soil formation and habitat provision for biodiversity, forming the basis for the other three types of services” (Scotland’s Nature Agency, n.d.). 30

Photosynthesis is a supporting service of vegetation (grass, meadows, crops etc.), with this process carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and water (H2O) is taken up by vegetation and transformed into oxygen (O2) and organic compounds like sugar (C6H12O6) with the use of sunlight. Photosynthesis allows plants to grow and takes up carbon from the atmosphere, with that it supports other ecosystem services, for example, food production, carbon storage and clean air. Land with grass, crops and meadows supports multiple nutrient cycles, including the water, carbon and nitrogen cycles (Hanegraaf, 2009; Liu et al., 2020; Paudel and Mainali, 2024; Vleeshouwers and Verhagen, 2002). The vegetation takes up these nutrients and can be eaten by animals. These nutrient cycles support that other ecosystem services are possible, for example, food production, water purification, carbon storage and clean air. Meadows and grass could also support soil health as they increase the abundance of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), the AMF in meadows is higher than that of grassland (Paudel and Mainali, 2024). AMF can enhance plant productivity and plant diversity, it can also increase the resilience of the vegetation. The vegetation is more resistant to drought and a nitrogen surplus with the presence of AMF (Jia et al., 2021). Hanegraaf et al.

(2009) mention that the soil organic matter (SOM) contents in European soils are declining. SOM content is important for soil quality and is crucial for agricultural production and biodiversity (Doran and Parkin, 1994). The soils where corn is growing in the Netherlands have a high risk of reaching a critical limit of SOM in the near future. From this critical limit, it is difficult to increase the SOM content again (Hanegraaf et al., 2009). Urban green areas could provide habitat for many organisms, for example, birds, insects and pollinators (Saure, 1996), thereby they could increase biodiversity. Habel et al. (2013) state that European semi-natural grasslands can have a rich biodiversity. Paudel and Mainali (2024) found that meadows have a higher species richness than urban lawns. A large species richness may be needed for other ecosystem services (Neyret et al., 2023).

2.3.4.

Regulating

Regulating ecosystem services are defined by the ‘Benefits from Nature Wheel’ framework as “services that occur in the ecosystem that lead to benefits such as climate regulation, flood management, and water filtration” (Scotland’s Nature Agency, n.d.). In this subchapter, the regulating ecosystem services carbon storage, water purification, erosion control, air quality, flood control, pollination and disease and natural pest control are investigated. Carbon (C) in the atmosphere can accumulate in the soil in the form of soil organic matter, which is an important process in climate regulation. Hanegraaf et al. (2009) found that permanent grassland in the Netherlands on sandy soils accumulates 31

approximately 39 g C m-2 year-1(deciduous forest stores around 33 g C m-2year-1 in the soil3 (Wu et al., 2013)). Vleeshouwers and Verhagen (2002) found in a model study for Europe that arable land has a C flux of -84 g C m-2y-1. It was also found that farmers can increase carbon sequestration up to 150 g C m-2y-1 if farmyard manure is applied to the field. Aertsens et al. (2013) found that planting cover crops, hedge rows and low or no tillage could also help to store more C. Vegetation can, besides C, also sequester other greenhouse gasses like nitrogen. Paudel and States (2023) did a study on the differences in carbon and nitrogen sequestration for meadows and grassland in urban areas and showed that grassland sequesters more carbon and meadows more nitrogen. The sequestration of nitrogen by vegetation has the additional effect that less nitrogen is leaching into the groundwater. Meadows also play a large role in filtering other excessive nutrients and toxic trace metal elements from the soil (Paudel and Mainali, 2024). This filtering of vegetation can thus improve the quality of the groundwater. Besides vegetation, the soil can also act as a filter and is, therefore an important regulating ecosystem service, this is especially important if the groundwater is used as tap water.

To what extent the soil acts as a natural filter is influenced by how pollutants interact with the soil and the movement of water through the soil (Keesstra et al., 2012). Another regulating ecosystem service provided by vegetated land is erosion control. Beard and Green (1994) state that mowed turfgrass is because of its dense ground cover and high shoot density effective in controlling erosion. Paudel and States (2023) also state that lawns and meadows reduce soil erosion. Vegetation in urban areas can also be beneficial for air quality. Nawrocki et al. (2023) found that urban meadows can filter out particulate matter in the air caused by road traffic during every season. In some cities, an urban heat island is formed because the heat is trapped between the infrastructure of a city and the wind is blocked. The temperature of the urban heat island increases if there is a lot of heat produced in the city and the albedo of the materials covering the city is low. A vegetative cover in urban areas could decrease the urban heat island effect (Leung et al., 2011). There are also disadvantages of vegetation in/near cities because pollens from grasses and spores of fungi might cause public health problems. Particularly in children, it can trigger asthma and other allergic responses (Leung et al., 2011).

This problem could partly be solved by making smart decisions on which plant species are planted. An unpaved vegetated area is, in general, also good for flood control. This is because when precipitation falls on an unpaved and vegetated area, a part of the water can evaporate or transpire, and the remaining part can infiltrate into the soil or runoff. The water that infiltrates is stored for a certain time before entering a river or a lake, this delay is called lag time. This lag time reduces the risk of flooding when a heavy precipitation 3

This study was done in a temperate deciduous forest in Denmark.

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event occurs. Liu et al. (2020) found that the runoff time on grassland was about 25 times higher than on impervious surfaces, meaning that on grassland, much more water infiltrates. Urban agriculture and meadows can also be beneficial for pollinators and pollination services, especially if there is a high biodiversity in floral resources available (Davis et al., 2017), as the flora provide both a shelter and a food supply for pollinators (Yang et al., 2019). Sanyé et al. (2018) found that the ‘facilitation of pollination’ was one of the most important environmental ecosystem services of urban agriculture, according to the respondents. Affek (2018) did a study on indicators of the potential of an ecosystem for pollination by bees and their honey production. The study provides tables with an estimation of the honey production and pollen for different plant species growing in the temperate zone. There is also a ‘value for bees’ given based on “the length of the blooming period, blooming abundance, nectar and pollen production, frequency of insect visitation and honey potential” (Affek, ). Nagy et al. (2020) found that “increasing grassland floristic diversity, limiting intensive management practices and implementing weed control” would make grassland more pest suppressive in agricultural regions. Shanker et al.

(2011) advise that habitat management strategies can be used to create more biodiversity, which can help control pests. In urban regions, Paudel and States (2023) state that the benefits for lawns and meadows are minor for pest control. It is even stated that meadows with tall grass can cause more tick bites and spread diseases by, for example, rats.

2.3.5.

Ecosystem services and the Telgter Eng

There are a couple of provisioning and regulating ecosystem services that meadows and peri-urban grasslands typically provide but are unlikely or impossible to be substantially provided by the Telgter Eng. Because of this, no questions are asked about how people value these ecosystem services in the survey (Results chapter III). The ecosystem services that are unlikely to be substantially provided by the Telgter Eng are: supply of drinking water, flood control, erosion control, temperature regulation, natural medicine and materials. The Telgter Eng is an infiltration area for precipitation, and the vegetation and soil could purify the groundwater if no surplus of nutrients is added to the fields, ensuring the groundwater downstream of the eng is cleaner. However, since there is no groundwater extraction for drinking water downstream of the Telgter Eng (Figure 5, section 2.2.1), the land use in this area does not influence the quality of drinking water. The Telgter Eng is also not located in the upstream area of a catchment, nor are there any rivers downstream. The increased risk of flooding when land is paved and the lag time decreases is thus also not applicable for the Telger Eng. The ecosystem service erosion control becomes more important in sloping terrain, as erosion tends to be more severe 33

in these areas (van Beek et al., 2008). The Telgter Eng is slightly sloping from west to east, however, this difference is a maximum of 3 meters (Figure 3, section 2.2.1). Therefore, no erosion that leads to dangerous situations when the land is paved in this area is expected. When the wind comes from the west, potential buildings on the Telgter Eng could block the wind that is directed to Ermelo city. Calculations have to be done to know how much effect this has on the urban heat island of Ermelo, however, this was not possible in the timespan of this project. Looking at the current air temperature map of Ermelo (GGD, 2020), it is hypothesised that buildings will not substantially increase the air temperature in the city of Ermelo, however, the heat island might be more elongated. The use of the Telgter Eng for providing natural medicine is inconsequential since people in the Netherlands currently rely mostly on allopathic medicine. The use of an eng to produce materials for construction or other daily used products is irrelevant. In the Netherlands, these materials are currently mostly sourced elsewhere and generally do not comprise things that grow in meadows or grasslands.

Then there are a couple of provisioning ecosystem services that meadows and periurban grasslands and cropland could provide but are currently not provided by the Telgter Eng, if actions are taken, these ecosystem services would be possible. These ecosystem services are local food and drink and renewable energy. The Telgter Eng was historically used to produce crops for human consumption, with the surrounding lands providing materials for building and grazing grounds for livestock. Together, this provided all the physical needs of the inhabitants. If this small-scale agricultural practice were to be picked up again, it could provide vegetables and grains for a lot of people in the area. In the current state, however, this is not the case as grass is mostly grown for recreational horses and some for livestock production. Biofuel production can be a relevant option for the eng. When the energy production shifts towards more sustainable sources, the demand for biofuel could increase. An urban grassland can be suitable for this if it is not used for other needs. Lastly, there are several supporting and regulating ecosystem services that meadows and peri-urban grasslands typically provide, which are also currently provided by Telgter Eng.

These ecosystem services are: pollination, space for wildlife and biodiversity, disease and natural pest control, water purification, clean air and carbon storage. From the literature study, it becomes clear that some of these ecosystem services have the potential to have a bigger effect. Currently, the grass on the Telgter Eng is mowed or grazed, and a few other crops are grown besides grass. Because of this, the biodiversity of the area is low, resulting in a lower effect of pollination and disease and natural pest control. Other plant species, like wildflowers, can be planted to increase the biodiversity of the area. Affek (2018) also

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listed cropland species (buckwheat, oilseed rape and phacelia)which can increase pollination and grassland species. The vegetation in the Telgter Eng can purify the water and the air, however, other species could be planted to enhance this effect. In general, trees have a larger filtering effect on the air than grasses. For the purification of water, it is also important that there is no surplus of nutrients provided to the land. The sandy soil of the Telgter Eng works as a filter for the water flowing beneath and infiltrating the soil. It is difficult to estimate the Carbon (C) uptake of the Telgter Eng because of different land uses and because it is not known how much manure is applied to the fields. The surface area of agricultural fields in the Telgter Eng is approximately 80 ha. This would mean that if the surface area of the Telgter Eng were covered with permanent grassland, approximately 31,000 tonnes of C would be stored every year. This is equal to driving more than a million kilometres in the average new passenger car in Europe in 2023 (European Environment Agency, 2024). This indicates that the Telgter Eng has great potential for carbon sequestration. The other supporting Ecosystem Services (SES) are all present in the Telgter Eng, although they are less tangible than services like food production and health.

Photosynthesis, soil health and the cycles of carbon, water and nitrogen are all dependent on the plants that grow in the eng. If the Telgter Eng would be developed into housing, these SES would be lost or reduced to an inconsequential degree. All the cultural ecosystem services (CES) are relevant to the Telgter Eng. Different aspects of CES, like health, recreation and education, are all applicable to the eng since these benefits derive from nature in general. For inspiration and aesthetic services, the way the eng looks is important. A large flower diversity and many different sightlines over the landscape specifically have a large effect on how beautiful a landscape is perceived. The CES are all covered in the survey conducted on the citizens of Ermelo. Based on the survey, more insight is provided on how these CES are valued by the habitants of Ermelo in Results Chapter III.

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2.4. Results chapter II: benchmark study In this chapter, we discuss the results and insights gained from the benchmark interviews. For simplicity and anonymity, every interview has an associated reference code. The meanings of each code are explained in Appendix 2.

2.4.1.

Wageningse Eng

The Wageningse Eng is one of the few remaining eng landscapes on the south-west border of the Veluwe (Stichting Wageningse Eng, n.d.). Most of the eng landscape has made place for housing, leaving the municipality of Wageningen with an area of about 170 ha directly to the north-west of the city. Within the eng, only a small fraction of the land still has its historical purpose: cultivating wheat, barley and rye (INT.B2). The Stichting Wageningse Eng (SWE) was founded in collaboration with the municipality of Wageningen to serve as a representative of all the stakeholders on the eng, and we spoke to two members of the foundation during the interview. As of 2020, SWE created a ‘vision’ for the Wageningse Eng. This document describes the plans for future developments on the eng and is meant as a tool for the municipality to enforce action against any activities that do not align with this ‘vision’. At the base of this plan lie four core values: a ‘unique landscape’, ‘cultural history’, ‘ecology and biodiversity’ and the ‘garden of Wageningen’ (Visie Wageningse Eng, 2020). The ‘unique landscape’ refers to elevation differences, openness, sightlines over the landscape and the high variation in land use due to many landowners with small properties. This last is a direct result of the preserved cultural historical value of the land.

Also included in the cultural history of the landscape are the old sand paths and hedgerows between the properties. The ecological and biodiversity values are expressed in the high number of species and varied biotopes. Finally, the ‘garden of Wageningen’ refers to the location of the eng surrounded by the city and modern infrastructure. The Wageningse Eng serves as a refuge for nature where you would not otherwise expect it (Wageningen Municipality, 2020). These core values can be translated to, for example, the following ecosystem services respectively: sense of place, knowledge & learning, space for wildlife and biodiversity and recreation (Scotland’s Nature Agency, n.d.). An additional point made by the interviewees was that it is not enough to simply have a valuable landscape. As put by SWE, you also need to show people what these values are: “To exploit the value from the eng, you also need some activities [ … ]. You need to have something to offer, to make sure people can enjoy these values.” - INT.B2 Though in that sense, the Wageningse Eng might have an advantage over Ermelo, according to the interviewees. The community of Wageningen is active, university educated and involved. The people of the city are naturally more inclined to involve themselves in matters of the city, and protection of nature in the Wageningse Eng is no exception (INT.B2).

Replicating community involvement like this in Ermelo would be a 36

vital first step for protection of the Telgter Eng. Methods of gaining this public attention could be through newspaper articles, radio programs and, as mentioned, organising in person activities on the eng itself (INT.B2). Gathering attention for the eng is not only important for the citizens, but also for the municipality of Ermelo. A major point made by SWE was the importance of gaining support from parties in the municipal council (INT.B2). Again, SWE has had a head start here. SWE was founded in collaboration with the municipality, which is not the case for Stichting Behoud Historische Telgter Eng, founded at the initiative of citizens. Gaining legitimacy in the eyes of the municipality will take time and effort. SWE suggests an effective strategy is to simply “sit down together” and talk about plans and worries faceto-face. Lawsuits and legal enforcements should be a last resort as this is usually costly in money, time and relations (INT.B2). The same goes for landowners. Much like Ermelo, the Wageningse Eng is owned by almost exclusively private landowners. Like the municipality and the citizens, the landowners need to be involved, or even organised, to make real progress on the protection of a landscape (INT.B2). The Wageningse Eng is still facing some threats.

Due to the efforts of SWE the eng is not actively being considered for large-scale housing projects, but some small-scale developments are still set within its borders. For instance, a geothermal plant is planned to be built on the eng, with options to expand it in the future. There are also plans to expand a vacation park into the eng (INT.B2).

2.4.2.

Hulshorster Eng

Hulshortser Eng is more comparable to the Telgter Eng. It is a remnant of the same area of eng landscape that was once present by the Zuiderzee, and much like Telgter Eng it is the only section of eng that has not been replaced by built up area near Hulshorst. Similarly to the Telgter Eng, the historical landscape of tiny parcels has gotten somewhat lost when land has repeatedly been consolidated to fewer owners (INT.B3). The eng is also very open, in contrast to the Wageningse Eng which had a lot of small structures throughout the landscape. Stichting tot Behoud van de Hulshorster Enk (Foundation to preservation of the Hulshorster Eng, SBHE) is the foundation dedicated to preserving this eng, and one member spoke to us in an interview. The foundation got started with an initial financial boost from Stichting Landschapsbeheer Gelderland. Even though the Hulshorster Eng was successfully brought back to its historical purpose, farming grains, for some years, currently most of the land is used for livestock and growing corn (INT.B3). SBHE does not have a formal document or website describing the values of the Hulshorster Eng, but from the interview some values can be discerned. As mentioned, the current landscape of the Hulshorster Eng is no longer in its historical state.

Most of the values mentioned by the interviewee though refer to the time when the eng restored for a few years. So, while some of these values are not currently present, they still serve 37

as an example of achievable progress for the Telgter Eng. Firstly, the history of the landscape serves an important educational value (knowledge & learning). SBHE found that explaining the long, man-made history of enkdorpenlanschappen to people fascinated them, and this historical value served a big role in convincing farmers to change their crops from corn to wheat, rye or barley (INT.B3). In fact, this historical value is the reason our interviewee got involved with preserving the Hulshorster Eng and helped launch the foundation in the first place (INT.B3; Kleine, 2011). Ecological & biodiversity values were also mentioned during the interview. Planting of wildflowers around the fields resulted in a great variety of plants and insects, and subsequently, an increase in field birds (bird species adapted to life in agricultural landscapes) which fed on the insects (INT.B3). According to the interviewee, these birds are often overshadowed by meadow/wetland birds when it comes to nature preservation, despite also being threatened in the Netherlands (INT.B3; Vogelbescherming Nederland, 2008). Furthermore, recreational values are represented by walking paths and a poem about the Eng, written on a large glass pane set along a walking path.

Finally, like Wageningse Eng, sightlines and openness were a key value to the identity of the Hulshorster Eng, which is related to sense of place and aesthetic value (INT.B3). Compared to Wageningen and Ermelo, Hulshorst is a very small village. At first, few people knew much about the eng and why it is important. SBHE changed that by telling their story to a lot of people, including the local school principal, local newspapers, farming landowners on the eng and other citizens of Hulshorst (INT.B3). This way SBHE managed to involve a lot of people in activities on the eng. For instance, the interviewees contact with the high school lead to school classes going on excursions to the eng to learn about ecology, and the children helped planting the wildflower seeds around the edges of the agricultural fields (INT.B3). Further, commissioned by SBHE, a schoolteacher together with a photographer wrote a book about Hulshorster Eng, showing off its history through text and its current state through pictures of local farmers. Hulshorster Eng also produced local food products like bread and ‘kruudmoes’ (INT.B3). SBHE emphasised the importance of citizen involvement, much like SWE, stating: "It is important to get people enthusiastic about [the eng] and to make them understand why it is important, because otherwise they won’t do their best for it.

Why would they? [The eng] has always been there.” - INT.B3 Even though the crops on Hulshorster Eng have been converted to corn again, the efforts of SBHE have not been in vain. In the ‘bestemmingsplan’ of Nunspeet municipality the Hulshorster Eng was given a second designation: ‘oude bouwlanden’ (old farmlands), which has given it protection from ‘vertical elements’ (INT.B3). This new designation was acquired through a landscape analysis done by an independent party: Het Gelders Genootschap (INT.B3). We interviewed a representative of Het Gelders Gennootschap as well, the results of which can be found in Results Chapter IV (section 2.6.). SBHE 38

states that this new designation has stopped any large-scale development from occurring, but small-scale objects were still built with permits from the municipality from time to time. In response, lawsuits were filed by SBHE for the removal of these structures, which were often small sheds for livestock. So far there has been ruled in favour of SBHE, and thus these structures had to be removed (INT.B3). Only since last year the municipality of Nunspeet has settled the fact that Hulshorster Eng should remain open and thus cannot be built up with any structures of any kind, which our interviewee believes will solve much of these structures appearing on the eng (INT.B3). Their advice for Stichting Behoud Historische Telgter Eng is similar to that of SWE: to take the municipal party members for a face-to-face conversation about the eng, and explain to them why it is valuable. All that being said, without the financial boost at the start of the foundation nothing might have happened. For Hulshorster Eng the main threats thus do not come from any land development. Actually, the interviewee worries more about the land use change from agriculture to cattle farms.

The land is not only losing its historical value when the traditional crop farming practice is abandoned, but it also invites more people to build animal sheds and fencing on the eng and thereby the eng is losing its open characteristic. And while SBHE can get these removed, it is a costly and lengthy process to do this.

2.4.3.

General conclusions

Our final interview with Stichting Landschapsbeheer Gelderland was not about a specific eng, but a more general conversation about eng preservation in Gelderland. Compared to 1900, many of the typical eng landscapes have been lost to the upscaling of agriculture. This process has resulted in large plots used to produce maize or to keep horses (INT.B1). In Ermelo, most of the eng is used to grow grass and keep horses, which does not necessarily make it attractive for recreation or inspiration. Hence it is important to provide an alternative to the current situation and mention actions that can be taken to increase the (aesthetic) value of the eng. Municipalities have a high influence on the kind of activities that can take place on an eng. If the production of tall crops, like maize and fruit trees, does not fit with the desired vision of an area, the municipality can prohibit it. This promotes activities that help to keep the landscape open. For this policy to work the municipality must stand their ground on this topic (INT.B1). It is also possible for municipalities to acquire a priority for buying land in a certain area, the so-called “voorkeursrecht”. This allows the municipality to be the first one to buy plots of land when it is given up for sale.

Acquiring this right for the Telgter Eng will ensure that the municipality can choose what happens to the land, instead of the housing developers. For places within 500 m of a Natura-2000 area, a permit is required for activities that affect the natural area in a negative way. This policy will likely become more important in 39

the future, meaning that dairy farming or other activities with high nitrogen emissions will become impossible or more strongly regulated. Because traditional farming methods on engen work with local resources without much outside input or output this would be a good alternative in places close to Natura-2000 areas. Although the Telgter Eng is not located within 500 m of a Natura-2000 area, it would still be advised to promote traditional farming practices because this is nonetheless beneficial for nature around it. Getting political recognition is an important step for the Stichting Behoud Historische Telgter Eng. Since the foundation was not set up in collaboration with the municipality, this is a bit more difficult. A strong collaboration between the foundation and the municipality will help the conservation process. An association of the different foundations for the protection of eng landscapes along the Veluwe would help as well. This association of foundations can discuss their challenges and learn from each other how they overcame them (INT.B1).

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2.5. Results chapter III: local insights The following chapter discusses the insights gained from survey responses (see Appendix 5), including one open question for additional insights. It first presents general demographic and behavioural information of Ermelo’s citizens, then dives into the aspects of nature which are valued by the population, and later presents insights into citizens’ perceptions of the Telgter Eng. Then, it provides an overview of activities which are deemed desirable by Ermelo’s citizens for the future of the Telgter Eng and the additional comments from the final open question. Finally, the section ends with a few conclusions based on the insights gained from the survey.

2.5.1.

Demographic and other general insights

The survey was completed by respondents aged between 15 and 88 years old. More specifically, 64% were aged between 70 and 88, 18% between 45 and 70, 14% between 20 and 45, and only 4% were younger than 20 years old 4 . In terms of how long the respondents had lived in the area, 62% declared to have lived in Ermelo for longer than 20 years, 27% for less than 10 years, and only 12% between 10 and 20 years5. The area of Ermelo municipality can be divided into three zones, corresponding to three different postcodes (see Figure 8). Table 4: Frequency of visits to the Telgter Eng and

Postcode area Visit frequency

3851

3852

3853

1x week or more

7.1%

50.0%

42.9%

1x month

50.0%

25.0%

57.1%

3853 3852

1x year

21.4%

0.0%

0.0%

3851 Never

21.4%

25.0%

0.0% Figure 8: Postcode areas of Ermelo - Source: Allecijfers.nl.

One respondent did not provide their date of birth, thus, the percentages on age were calculated using only 28 observations. 5 Three respondents did not provide information on the length of their residence in Ermelo, thus, the percentages on length of residence were calculated using only 26 observations. 4

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Of the respondents, 56% lived within postcode area 3851, 28% lived within area 3853, and 16% lived within area 3852 6 . Of 27 respondents, only 22% reported visiting the Telgter Eng once a week or more, while 48% reported visiting it once a month, and 15% once a year. 15% of respondents declared to never have visited the area. The relationship between postcode area and visit frequency is shown in Table 4 above, revealing that those living in postcode area 3853 are those who visit the Telgter Eng most frequently 7. The distribution of frequencies seems more spread for residents of postcode areas 3851 and 3852, showing different behaviours.

2.5.2.

Values from nature

The survey administered asked citizens to determine whether they felt certain aspects of nature felt important to them, valuing them from ‘Not important at all’ to ‘Very important’. The values provided for citizen’s assessment included health, education, historical heritage, connectedness, inspiration, social cohesion, recreation, biodiversity and climate change. These were selected based on the results of the literature study and were mostly focused on ‘cultural’ values – according to the ‘Benefits from Nature Wheel’ (see section 1.2.1.) since these tend to be most obvious to citizens (Sanyé-Mengual et al., 2018). The value ‘climate change’ represents several regulating and supporting ecosystem services. Figure 9 below summarises the findings from this assessment.

Figure 9: Survey results, Ermelo's citizens values of nature.

As the results above show, physical and mental health seems to be the highest valued aspect of nature by Ermelo’s citizens, with most respondents assessing it as either ‘important’ or ‘very important’, and no respondent being neutral nor negative in this Three respondents did not provide their postal code, and one respondent lived outside the 3 selected postcode areas, making these figures based on only 25 responses. 7 The three postcode areas are not equally represented in the sample, decreasing the relevance of such estimates. 6

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regard. As such, the connection between nature and health seems to be rather explicit. The other two aspects which received such high scores were those relating to ecological processes, namely biodiversity and climate change. On the opposite end, the value perceived as less important was that of ‘using nature to meet others’. Under statistical analysis (see Appendix 8), it seems to be that the modal response for most ecosystem service is ‘important’ – except for ‘physical and mental health’ having ‘very important’ as its modal response. However, when looking at the standard deviation, the values of ‘meeting others’ and ‘historical value’ have the highest deviation, suggesting that the assessment of these two values of nature highly vary amongst Ermelo’s citizens.

2.5.3.

Citizens’ perception of the Telgter Eng

The survey also asked citizens how they felt particularly with respect to the nature present in the Telgter Eng, requiring them to assess how much they agreed with certain statements regarding the services of nature in this area. Figure 10 below depicts the results of this assessment.

Figure 10: Survey results, Ermelo's citizens' agreement with statements about nature in the Telgter Eng.

As Figure 10 above depicts, citizens of Ermelo seem to agree the most with statements about the Telgter Eng and its importance for biodiversity and climate. They also seem to mostly agree with other statements about their health, inspiration and educational value 43

of the eng. The modal responses were ‘important’ for almost all statements, with the exception of those related to ‘I feel attached to this place’ – for which the modal response was ‘neutral’ – and ‘This place is a meeting place’ and ‘There are enough activities in this area’ – for which the modal response was ‘disagree’. In terms of the variation amongst citizens’ responses, the highest standard deviations were seen under statements ‘I feel attached to this place’, ‘When I visit this place, I learn more from nature’, and ‘There are enough activities in this area’. Nevertheless, it is worth highlighting that the number of ‘neutral’ responses was rather high (above ) in all statements. A Wilcoxon test was used on this data, which allowed us to see whether respondents’ attitudes towards nature changed when it came to the specific case of the Telgter Eng. This was possible because both sets of statements were devised to be addressing the same values of nature (based on the ‘Benefits from Nature Wheel’). Table 5 below summarises the results of the statistical exercise (further information on this statistical procedure can be found in section 2.2.6.). Table 5: Results from the Wilcoxon test for each theme of the survey.

THEME HEALTH EDUCATION HISTORY CONNECTEDNESS INSPIRATION MEETING RECREATION BIODIVERSITY CLIMATE

P-VALUE 0.0002 0.011 0.356 0.001 0.007 0.001 0.010 0.066 0.019

MEAN DIFFERENCE 0.88 0.85 0.54 1.23 0.73 0.96 1.08 0.73 0.61

The data of the survey suggests that the largest difference between what citizens find valuable in nature and what they feel for the nature in the Telgter Eng was with ‘connectedness’. The participants of the survey found connectedness with nature quite important but felt less attached to the Telgter Eng (Wilcoxon, difference 1.23, p <0.05). The historical aspect of nature was valued approximately as much as it was perceived to be present in the Telgter Eng, which is reflected in the two values being not significantly different from each other. The same goes for biodiversity. Most aspects of nature showed a slight difference between the valuation and the perception of the eng, meaning that what people value in nature is seen to a lesser extent on the eng. The data indicates that the lowest significant difference is in ‘climate change’, so the citizens of Ermelo perceive it about as much as they value climate change protection, but with a slightly higher valuation than what they actually see.

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2.5.4.

Desirable activities on the Telgter Eng

The survey also aimed to uncover what activities are seen as desirable by the citizens of Ermelo when looking towards the future of the Telgter Eng. Examples were provided for them, based on the insights we derived from the literature review. Figure 11 below provides an overview of the responses and their respective frequencies.

Figure 11: Survey results, Ermelo's citizens' preferred activities for the future of the eng

As Figure 11 above shows, most respondents chose agricultural fields, walking trails and community gardens as desirable activities for the eng. Those seemingly less desirable were concerning small-scale housing, visitor centres and cafes/hotels. Additionally, respondents were also given an open text field to propose any additional activities they may consider appropriate, and these included the following8: informational panels (3) – about crops and plant species, bicycle lanes (2), native-species garden, food forest, forest, petting zoo, sheep shed, (old)farming practices, trees and hedges, more benches, cultural walks and cultural items, and more biodiversity. One respondent declared ‘just leave it as it is now’, another said ‘keep young people engaged’, another asked for ‘a better transition between the farmland and pristine nature’, and a final one asked for ‘more activities in general’. When respondents were asked to provide a final (optional) comment to the survey, a few of them mentioned the existing duck farm between Ermelo and Hardewijk, and that because it is not contributing to improving climate change conditions, nor it is related to the cultural roots of Ermelo, it is a more suitable area for housing development than the Telgter Eng. Some respondents also stressed the fact that housing is still urgently needed, if Ermelo is to keep its youth from leaving town.

However, they did specify that the housing should be kept truly small scale, both in numbers and in size. They also Each response was given once, except for those with a number in parentheses, which indicates the number of times this response was given. 8

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expressed that, in case animal farms are brought back into the area, these should remain small scale. One respondent who claimed to be a ‘nature-lover’ stated that although the Telgter Eng is a valuable area, there are plenty of other, better, options when it comes to visiting nature. Additionally, given the current housing pressure in Ermelo and the need to keep the youth from leaving town, the respondent declared “we need to build houses somewhere”. In contrast, several respondents emphasised that the old culture of Ermelo should be preserved, and in this regard, they mentioned that there are already existing ‘wandelgroepen’ who organise cultural walks with citizens of Ermelo in order to keep people connected to their cultural heritage and could potentially lead to the area’s protection.

2.5.5.

Discussing local insights

The results obtained from the survey and open question provided important insights into how the citizens of Ermelo perceive and interact with the Telgter Eng. For instance, the results suggest that while the local population places high importance on nature – particularly its benefits for health, biodiversity, and climate – there is an important gap between these values and how they perceive the eng in itself. The sense of connectedness to the Telgter Eng, for example, appears to be weaker than the general appreciation for nature, indicating that while the area is recognised for its ecological and health-related benefits, it may not yet have strong cultural or personal significance for many of Ermelo’s residents. In terms of demographics, the survey results depict a skewed response towards older age groups. Although this is in line with the population demographics of Ermelo, having more responses from young and middle-aged citizens might have led to different responses. Nevertheless, having a large sample of older people is likely to have contributed to having more people who were somewhat aware of the Telgter Eng’s historical heritage value, as well as its potential health benefits – as older citizens more often get prescribed to take walks in nature for maintaining their health.

Meanwhile, having such a large representation of older citizens may also undermine the willingness for more innovative activities in the eng, as they tend to have more conservative values. When observing the representation of different postcode areas and the frequency of visits to the Telgter Eng, citizens living in postcode area 3853 are those who seem to visit most frequently, which was an expected finding, as it is the area closest to the eng. Citizens inhabiting areas 3851 and 3853 had different visiting behaviours, which could be because they decide to visit the Veluwe or other areas instead of the Telgter Eng, or simply because they may not see the explicit value of visiting the Telgter Eng. Overall, the findings suggest that there might be a relationship between proximity of residence and engagement with the eng; however, these insights are of limited significance, as postcode areas are unevenly represented in the surveyed sample. 46

A key insight from the survey emerged from the kind of activities that Ermelo’s citizens regard as valuable for the future of the eng. Most respondents preferred open fields, walking trails and community gardens, highlighting citizen’s preference for preserving the natural landscape, as opposed to developing built-infrastructure projects such as small-scale housing, cafés and hotels, and visitor centres. This suggests that citizens may prefer more ‘pristine’ types of nature than heavier interventions in the landscape. Furthermore, the activities that were proposed by the respondents themselves were mostly concerned with nature-friendly initiatives, as opposed to more invasive infrastructure-heavy ideas. Nevertheless, the additional comments some respondents provided highlight the remaining tensions between the need for housing – mostly for the youth – and the need for nature preservation. Finally, because the results of the Wilcoxon test specifically suggest a disparity between what respondents value in nature and what they see in the landscape of the eng, community-based cultural programs and restoration activities based on local values may likely lead to increased support for the protection of the Telgter Eng.

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2.6. Results chapter IV: contextual study To contextualise what we learned from the previous results, we conducted some interviews aimed to get specific information for our case in the Telgter Eng. We spoke to the current and previous green & landscape advisors for the municipality of Ermelo and to the Gelders Genootschap. We also got some insights and advice from someone working for the province of Gelderland. In this chapter, we focus on current policies and concrete actions the Stichting Behoud Historische Telgter Eng can take to improve the situation in the Telgter Eng. For simplicity and anonimity, every interview has an associated reference code. The meaning of each code is explained in Appendix 2

2.6.1.

Current policy

As Ermelo is a town surrounded by valuable nature, the municipality of Ermelo is familiar with dealing with conflicts around green space and developments. As such, they take the role of nature into serious consideration when executing plans in the municipality. However, the Telgter Eng has never been given a protective status by the province (INT.C3). Advice regarding nature and landscape is partially given based on the expertise of the advisor, but also for a large part based on existing policy, and currently in Ermelo that policy is the ‘omgevingsvisie’ (INT.C1). The omgevingsvisie is a document created by integrating existing policy documents, including the ‘Landschaps Ontwikkelings Plan’ (LOP) and ‘Ontwikkelingsperspectief Horst & Telgt’, into one baseline vision for the area in and around Ermelo (INT.C1). Then there is also the ‘bestemmingsplan’, a document designating a function to every plot of land in Ermelo. The LOP and bestemmingsplan are translated into the omgevingsvisie which is currently the leading policy (INT.C1).

Figure 12: Two maps of the Telgter Eng within the LOP of Ermelo. In the left map (LOP p. 11), where the light beige colour represents enkdorpenlandschap, there is clearly less area dedicated to the Telgter Eng compared to the right map (LOP p. 35), where the thick green lines are indicated as “border former eng” (Ermelo & Putten municipalities, 2011).

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The Stichting Behoud Historische Telgter Eng has expressed concern over the borders of the Telgter Eng in these documents, stating the eng is underrepresented in area. We believe this confusion stems from the LOP, which contains two maps with seemingly different borders for the Telgter Eng (Figure 12). The figure with larger borders states them as ‘borders former eng’, meaning the area with smaller borders is likely to be leading for the current state of the eng. Therefore, when the LOP was integrated into the omgevingsvisie, the smaller borders were used to represent the Telgter Eng. The lost area of the eng, now designated as ‘kampenlandschap’, is therefore subject to different policy than the rest of the eng. However, the ontwikkelingsperspectief Horst & Telgt, does still show the large borders for the eng in some, but not all, figures (Ermelo Municipality, 2021). This was done at request of the Stichting Behoud Historische Telgter Eng. The omgevingsvisie and ontwikkelingsperspectief Horst & Telgt thus contradict each other on how large the Telgter Eng actually is. The status of the Telgter Eng in the bestemmingsplan is “Agrarisch gebied met landschappelijke waarde”. This means it is agricultural land with landscape values.

But because it was not specified what exactly this landscape value is, people could still argue that their development plans did not affect these unspecified values. For a status like this to be effective at protection in the future, it must be clear what the specific values are (INT.C2). Something all current documents agree on is the that the approximate area of the Telgter Eng should remain an open landscape. However, this does not prohibit developments from occurring either. Any developments should be to “improve the quality of the landscape”, which is somewhat open to interpretation (INT.C1). Meaning, much like the old bestemmingsplan, the omgevingsvisie suffers from vagueness. At the present moment, however, no housing projects from the municipality are planned in the Telgter Eng (INT.C1) and thus private developments are the main threat towards the openness of the area. The province of Gelderland has different guides for the landscape, the so-called “Streekgidsen”. These are meant to show what the core qualities of different landscapes are and how they should be maintained. For the Telgter Eng, which is part of the “Randmeerkust”, the core quality is the openness, as discussed before (Provincie Gelderland, 2022; INT.C3).

2.6.2.

Advice

One of the recommendations that was given to us by an advisor from the Gelders Genootschap, an association of municipalities in the province of Gelderland, was to investigate the nature goals of the area (INT.C2). The province of Gelderland has a few goals for nature, and keystone species that show the ecosystem is doing well if that particular species is present in a landscape. Close to the Telgter Eng are the 49

“Veluwerandmeren”. A natura-2000 area that is an important habitat for several bird species and fishes. Building on the eng lowers the area of foraging grounds these birds have (Rijkswaterstaat, 2020). Another recommendation was to focus on housing around the eng, along the streets, small houses with little gardens could be built that enhance the openness of the eng itself (INTB.C2). Another point of advice that has been echoed by every other interviewee so far is to seek contact with the municipality of Ermelo, and the members of the municipality we spoke to agreed (INT.C1, INT.C3). Our interviewees were not very familiar with the foundation, and posed at several points during the interview that the foundation should reach out so they can learn more about their goals regarding the Telgter Eng (INT.C1). More interaction between the foundation and the municipalty might legitimise the foundation more in the eyes of the municipality as well. That being said, the timing of the foundations outreach is important, specifically when voicing their opposition to development plans. As one of our interviewees put it: “The moment a foundation could do something is no sooner than when there are fairly concrete plans.” - INT.C1 This implies the power of a foundation is to affect a change in progress, not to be the voice that initiates a change.

As there are currently no plans in progress to change the omgevingsvisie (or any of the related documents), this means our commissioner is unable to get any changes made to them, i.e. changing the border of the Telgter Eng to be consistent across all documents (INT.C1). Rather, the foundation should focus on concrete plans that already exist and will be reviewed by the municipality, such as the plans for a church to be built in the northeast of the Telgter Eng (Ermelosche Courant, 2024). To stay aware of these kinds of projects the website https://www.overheid.nl/berichten-over-uw-buurt was recommended. Finally, the interviewees reflected on the values of the Telgter Eng, stating that the area has high cultural historical value, as well as biodiversity and ecological values, and recreational values due to the nature garden and walking paths (INT.C2).

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2.7. Discussion & conclusion The following chapter discusses the most important insights gained from the four different research activities carried out in this research, namely: the semi-systematic literature review, the benchmark interviews, the local survey with one open question, and the contextual interviews. The discussion is contextualised around the case of the Telgter Eng and it provides recommendations for the commissioning party. The section also includes some final reflections on the methods employed, and it concludes with the answers to the research questions.

2.7.1.

Current and potential ecosystem services

This subchapter explains the ecosystem services that the Telgter Eng currently provides or has the potential to provide and that could contribute to its protection. These ecosystem services are energy, food production, physical and mental health, tourism, knowledge and learning, recreation, sense of place, inspiration, social cohesion, biodiversity and pollination and climate regulation. Additionally, advice is given on how to introduce certain ecosystem services and enhance those already present. Social cohesion and recreation GGD (2020) reported that 38% of the adults in Ermelo feel lonely and that the percentage that participates in neighbourhood activities is low. In the literature, it was found that people can develop stronger social bonds when engaging in outdoor activities connected to culture, heritage and education within highly diversified natural spaces (NowakOlejnik et al., 2020; Balázsi et al., 2021; Paudel & States, 2023). In the survey, 56% of the respondents indicated that it is ‘important’ or ‘very important’ for them that nature is a meeting place, 33% were ‘neutral’ and 11% found it ‘not important’. The mean difference between what citizens find valuable in nature and what they feel for the nature in the Telgter Eng is 0.96, indicating there is improvement possible in terms of meeting place for the Telgter Eng.