Law and regulations
The Nature Conservation Act
Since January 1, 2017, the Nature Conservation Act (Wet natuurbescherming or Wnb) has been in effect. This law replaces the 1998 Nature Conservation Act, the Forestry Act (Boswet), and the Flora and Fauna Act, and it safeguards Dutch natural areas as well as plant and animal species.
When does the Nature Conservation Act apply to you?
The law pertains to anyone planning activities or operations in areas where potentially protected species exist. This applies to recurring measures such as dredging ditches, as well as one-time activities like filling in isolated bodies of water.
What can we do for you?
The presence of protected species within your planning area doesn't always necessitate a permit. If your activities do not violate the prohibition clause or fall under an exemption, you won't require a permit. Furthermore, alternative solutions for your operations can eliminate the need for a permit. By identifying risks for your project early on, delays during execution can be prevented. VisAdvies is happy to brainstorm potential alternatives with you and is experienced in conducting nature assessments and quick scans. Sometimes, checking the national database is sufficient to provide clarity on the presence of a protected fish species.
Unfortunately, in some cases, damage to protected species is unavoidable. In such instances, compensatory measures can be implemented. VisAdvies can facilitate such measures. In practice, this almost always involves capturing the protected fish species. During the filling in of isolated waterways, all fish are often captured and relocated to an adjacent waterway. For these types of operations, VisAdvies employs electrofishing and/or a seine net.
We also provide ecological supervision during dredging operations and develop ecological work protocols.
We also provide ecological supervision during dredging operations and develop ecological work protocols.
Would you like more information or a quotation? Then contact one of our staff members.
