National Park Zuid-Kennemerland

For centuries people thought that space,

water and other natural resources were
inexhaustible. As the world population grew,
people increasingly exploited areas of previ-
ously untouched nature. They cut down trees
to make way for farming. They hunted and
kept animals in the surviving woodlands and
forests. These woodlands gradually dimi-
nished in area. They were replaced by cultural
landscapes which may look fairly natural,
but in fact bear little relation to the original,
unadulterated state.
The frst misgivings about these developments
were felt in the USA. They led in 1871 to the
creation of Yellowstone as the frst national
park in the world. In 1909 Sweden was the
frst country in Europe to create a national
park. Many other countries followed suit. In
1969 in response to the very different motives
for designating national parks, the Internatio-
nal Union for the Conservation of Nature and
Natural Resources (IUCN), an agency of the
United Nations, formulated a defnition of
national parks which was to apply world-wide.
The main aim in creating national parks is to
protect large natural areas and the species of
fora and fauna they contain. Secondary aims
include environmental education, nature-
related recreation and scientifc research.
Nowadays national parks can be found in
practically every country in Europe. Altogether
they offer their visitors an overview of the
great variety of the wildlife and landscapes of
Europe.
The Dutch national parks ft well into the
entire European network. In 1969 the Nether-
lands signed international agreements con-
cerning the establishment of valuable nature
reserves as national parks. The Dutch nature
reserves are relatively small and often contain
valuable ecosystems rarely found elsewhere,
such as dunes, peat bogs, and heathland. You
can safely assume that if an area is designa-
ted as a national park, it contains valuable
fora and fauna and is well worth a visit.
In the Netherlands national parks are desig-
nated by the Minister of Agriculture, Nature
and Food Quality (LNV). He has done so for
all the landscapes which are characteristically
Dutch. A national park is administered by
a Consultative Body representing owners,
managers and administrators. The provincial
council provides the secretariat.
The Ministry of LNV contributes a good deal
to the costs of administration and maintenan-
ce, and information and education within the
national parks.
2
What is a national park?
3
Enjoy and experience nature in:
From way back the most breathtaking,
natural surprise in the Randstad
National Park Zuid-Kennemerland!

Dune areas are a precious part of the
worlds natural beauty. Very few countries
have such extensive dune areas as the
Netherlands. For that reason the dunes are
an important part of the ecological main
structure, the network of nature reserves in
the country.
Zuid-Kennemerland National Park lies
in the heart of the busy Randstad urban
conglomeration. Each year two million
people visit the park for peace and recrea-
tion. Mostly people who live in or near the
park go to their rear dunes for outdoor
activities such as hiking, cycling, horse
riding and swimming. The vast 3,800 hec-
tare dune area primarily consists of young
calcareous dunes with the rare species of
ora and fauna that live there. Further-
more there are broad beaches, lovely inland
dune forests and peat polders. The natural
landscape is in marked contrast with
country estates and other cultural-historical
elements, such as bunkers and the sea
village landscape.
Originally the area featured wet dune
slacks. Groundwater extraction during
the twentieth century has caused water
draw-down in many of these dune slacks
and a decrease in the richness of species.
The year 2003 marked the end of the water
extraction period and the beginning of
large-scale rewetting of the dunes. The
dune slacks are recovering and getting wet
again and many specialised species are
returning. Administrative interventions
such as grazing by running free cattle, cut-
ting peat, excavating and permitting dunes
to drift again are aimed at restoring the
species variety.
Welcome to National Park Zuid-Kennemerland
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r
Natural development
Towards the end of the last ice age, some
10,000 years ago, the ice caps started to
melt. This caused the water level of the
North Sea to rise. The Dutch dune land-
scape began to form some 5,500 years ago
under the inuence of sea, sand and wind.
The rising sea level and sand deposits cre-
ated a long line of sand banks. Tiny plants
were able to colonise the coastal sand area
with its washed up organic remains of dead
plants and animals. They became the be-
ginnings of barrier beaches which later on
developed into what we now call the Old
Dunes. In the lower parts peat was formed.
At about the beginning of our era this dune
formation process came to a standstill.
During the tenth and eleventh century
major climatic changes occured. Violent
storms partially washed away the sand
dunes. The sand was rst deposited off
shore but later blown shorewards again by
prevailing westerly winds. Sand drifts
6
Origination of the landscape
created sand piles that wandered over
the Old Dunes. This marked the beginning
of the Young Dunes. When, after several
hundred years, the climate became milder
again, the vegetation cover in the dune area
increased. At present the most western
Young Dunes are the rst defense against
the sea. The Old Dunes are situated more
inland. Many villages and cities have arisen
on top of these barrier beaches, among
which Beverwijk, Spaarnwoude, Santpoort,
Velsen and Haarlem.
People and landscape
National Park Zuid-Kennemerland remains
fairly unspoilt, but human inuences can
be found throughout the whole area. The
rst people to inhabit the wood covered
barrier beaches arrived some 5,000 years
ago when the landscape was still dynami-
cally changing. Here they could at least
keep their feet dry and dispose of fresh
water. They hunted and cut re wood in the
area.
Recent dune excavating projects show that
in the past almost all dune slacks have
had experimental forms of cultivation. In
addition the dunes were exploited for sand
production, wood production and hunting,
among other things. They were also a
desirable location for country estates. The
landscapes natural beauty and the short
distance to Amsterdam will denitely have
played a role in the latter.
At the end of the eighteenth century the
typical sea village landscapes arose from
the coastal settlements; here the nutrient-
poor sandy soil was used - without much
success though for cultivation and goat
and sheep keeping. The deeply dug out
rectangular lands surrounded by small
dams can still be recognized in the land-
scape, for example near Zandvoort and in
the Kraansvlak.
During the nineteenth century people have
further curbed the dynamic processes in
the dune area. One way to do this was to
grow trees. In the rst decennia of the last
century for reasons of sand erosion pre-
vention and also wood production- conifers
such as Corsican and Austrian black pines
have been planted in the dunes. Trees
that are actually not endemic to this area,
but they do thrive. During the last century
water extraction, acid rain and booming
recreation have caused enormous changes
to the dune area. Many administrative in-
terventions are directed towards reversing
the negative results of these inuences.
7
Water extraction
The dune areas sandy soil naturally
contains a large supply of fresh water. The
discovery that dune water is excellent drin-
king water altered this. During the fteenth
century breweries had already begun using
this pure water for brewing their beer. Well
over one hundred years ago the Zuid-Ken-
nemerland water company started water
extraction in the Kennemer dunes in order
to meet the demand for clear and safe
drinking water in the cities. Consequently
dune grass lands dried up and wet dune
slacks disappeared. Only during the second
half of the Nineties did the moisture level
in the dunes increase again; groundwater
extraction was reduced and there were
four very wet years in a row. In 2003 water
extraction has been discontinued alto-
gether. Gradually more and more dune
slacks are rewetted.
Grass encroachment
Industry, intensive cultivation and trafc
induce acid rain. Lime dissolves in acid
rainfall causing dunes to decalcify and sour
faster than they did before. Acid rain also
contains nitrogen, which is a nutrient to
the dune sand. Specialised dune plants
such as the burnet rose are therefore in
danger of disappearing, grasses on the
contrary thrive. Other causes of grass
encroachment are the process of drying-up
and the for many years on end due to
8
diseases - low number of rabbits. By trim-
ming the grass and allowing cattle to graze
certain areas of the park the management
tries to put an end to this process.
Recreation
During the second half of the twentieth
century people living in the neighbourhood
increasingly visited the dune area to enjoy
its peace and space. Not only the construc-
tion of footpaths and cycle tracks, but also
of camp sites and parking accomodation
logically followed. More and wider roads
to the coast were built. Cyclists, hikers and
horse riders were likely to disturb plants,
birds and other animals. Due to the insti-
tution of area zoning recreation is better
controlled nowadays. Most of the public
facilities are now to be found close to the
main park entrances. This implies that
further down the park it is quieter. For the
day tripper but particularly for all that lives
in the dunes.
9
Dune areas feature an enormous scenic
diversity. Differences in soil, height, climate
and water table provide a variety of living
conditions for plants and animals. Factors
of sand, rain and wind continue to intensify
these dynamics.
Beach and foredunes
The shore-line area of beach and foredunes
is a fragile one. Fresh winds regularly blow
across the smooth surface and theres
little to hinder their momentum. Sea water
continually oods the lime-rich sand and
during stormy weather the waves pound
the rst series of dunes. Only pioneer
plants such as rush-like couch grass and
the pale pink owering sea rocket are
immune to these sometimes brute forces
of nature. The rst series of dunes, the
foredunes, break the strongest blows of
sea and wind. Their primary function is to
protect the land from the sea. The extre-
mely though marram grass with its long
spreading roots stabilizes the foredunes
and it traps drifting sand to help to prevent
coastal erosion.
On the inland edge of this rst series
of dunes the prevailing climate is much
milder. Here it is possible for other kinds
of vegetation to begin to take hold, such as
sea buckthorn and elderberry bushes. The
blue sea thistle is another species that will
grow here. This plant is covered by a wax
coating which protects it against dehy-
dration. The great ringed plover broods
in this belt of the dune area, whereas it is
primarily a beach-foraging bird.
Sometimes nature takes us by surprise.
Kennemer Beach is a case in point. Here, in
the saline zone, fresh water seeps upwards
from the dunes to form a pond. At high
tide the sea sometimes reaches as far as
this pond, which makes the water brackish:
sweet salt.
Highly adapted plants such as parnassus,
orchids and sea bindweed grow here. It is
also the zone where the sand lizard and the
natterjack toad are perfectly at ease.
10
Nature and landscape
Dune area
Behind the foredunes the landscape is
open. A creeper that thrives in the lime-rich
sandy soil, the dewberry, helps hold the
sand in place with its stems and under-
ground root web. The low-growing burnet
rose and the blue-coloured dune pansy
love this zone as well. Further inland there
is more shelter from the sea breeze. With
these better conditions the vegetation
increases and shrubs as the elderberry and
spindle tree grow higher. The shy roe deer
nds himself a hiding-place in this thicket
and the protected escargot feeds on the
herbal ora. This dense bush with plenty of
berries and insects makes a very attractive
territory for songbirds such as the white-
throat, stonechat and nightingale. In spring
and summer owering dune plants pro-
duce surprising colour contrasts: the bluish
purple of vipers bugloss set against the
yellow of ragwort and evening primrose.
11
A few names of dune lakes in this area
are t Wed, Vogelmeer, Oosterplas and
Cremermeer.
Inner dune belt and country estates
Between the open dune area and the urban
territory is the inner dune belt; woodlands
with mostly deciduous trees. The varied
and colourful undergrowth is dominated
by stinse plants, since centuries gone wild
non-native plants, such as snowdrop, wood
anemone and bears garlic.
In the seventeenth century a large number
of wealthy merchant traders were looking
for a country residence for the summer
months. Royal residences and country
estates were built all along the inner dune
edge. Many of these country estates have
been preserved, although a number of
them are being progressively swallowed up
by the dune landscape. The different styles
of garden lay-out and landscaping are in
places still visible. Majestic rows of trees
are another evidence of the fashion at that
time. The characteristic landscaping and
buildings are part of todays impressive
cultural history.
Elswout is probably the best preserved,
most beautiful and most water rich country
estate. The estate was founded in 1634
and features rich animal and plant com-
munities. A great number of hole-nesting
birds live in the estates old trees and the
icehouse is used by the bat population.
Places of interest
The Eere cemetary, remains of the Atlantik
wall and other elements in the park still
have historical value. A special working
group studies how to preserve and revive
this cultural history.
The Zuid-Kennemerland National Park also
comprises of a number of smaller proper-
ties and parks that are being managed by
private owners or municipal authorities.
12
Organisation
For ages nature has served man. This has
largely changed into the reverse with the
creation of the national park. Zuid-Kenne-
merland was designated as a national park
in 1995 to ensure protection and conser-
vation of the nature reserve between the
cities of IJmuiden and Zandvoort.
To this end a so-called management and
development plan has been drawn up
which outlines the desired developments in
the park for the next couple of years, with
as rst matter of importance the interests
of nature and users.
In control of the national park are the fol-
lowing parties: Provincial Water Company
PWN Noord-Holland, the Society for the
Conservation of Natural Monuments, the
State Forest Service, the municipalities of
Velsen, Bloemendaal, Haarlem and Zand-
voort, the Society for Nature and Environ-
ment Education IVN Noord-Holland and
the province of Noord-Holland.
There are also a number of private land
owners involved. All these parties work
closely together and regard the park, when
it comes to managing, as one single area.
The united strength of all these parties
expresses itself in the adherence to a com-
mon house style and to uniform admission
rules and signposts. This fruitful coopera-
tion is clearly visible in the northern part of
the park: here the joint site management
has set up a grazing area of well over 2,000
hectares, for which the fences between the
different territories had to be pulled down.
Nature conservation and development
In the next years management activities
in National Park Zuid-Kennemerland are
directed towards further restoring natural
systems. Natural dynamics are necessary
for a variegated landscape and rich animal
and plant communities. Visitors here can
experience and enjoy nature to its fullest.
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About National Park Zuid-Kennemerland
Kennemerland were declared a Geological
Monument. Near De Bruid van Haarlem
an information board has been posted
outlining this declaration. De Bruid van
Haarlem is a good example of a parabolic
dune, the sort of dune of which the entire
area is made up. The area is very tipical of
the formation of the Dutch coastline.
Wet dune slacks
Before groundwater extraction began to
take place wet dune slacks were abundant
in the sand dune environment. Since the
water extraction activities have stopped, the
groundwater bubble is growing again. In
several areas the soil is soggy once more,
and low slacks, such as the Zuidervlak, are
at times under water. In combination with
the restoration management of shoveling
scrub, mowing grass and permitting cattle
to graze, all sorts of specialised plants are
re-establishing themselves in the wet dune
slacks. Parnassus, common centaury and
northern gentian are just a few of them.
Drifting dunes
Sand drifts bring lime-rich sand to the
surface. Embryo dunes are formed, al-
lowing - in time - colonisation by well adap-
ted plant and animal species. In the wake
of the drifting dunes the erosion continues
until groundwater level is reached, creating
an ever extending wet dune slack. Thickly
covered xed dunes become acid and age
to a degree that the typical ora and fauna
are lost. This explains why dune-drifting is
again permitted in some areas of the open
dune belt. To speed up the process, the site
management excavates the dune scrub and
upper thin layer of humus in places. As a
result entire dunes and slacks, such as the
large dune of De Bruid van Haarlem
(The Bride of Haarlem), are constantly
in motion again. The site management
follows the dunes drifting behaviour very
closely. In about 2010 the outcome of this
survey could well be that more dunes will
be permitted to wander in the future.
In 2006 the dunes of National Park Zuid-
14
The natterjack toad and the smooth newt
have become common species again.
Grazing
To restrict the encroachment of grasses
into the dunes and to restore the environ-
mental diversity, the site management has
deliberately introduced big grazers. Cattle,
horses and ponies graze a large part of the
national park. Big grazers, which live in
herds, eat grasses and tough dune reed,
but feed on shrubs and trees as well. By
tramping the vegetation down they create
blowouts. With the help of small herbivores
such as rabbits and roe deer they keep the
dune landscape open, creating space for a
number of highly specialised plant species,
among which are the dune pansy, thyme
and vipers bugloss. Visitors need not be
afraid to walk into these grazing animals;
they have been chosen on their calm beha-
viour. When dealing with the free running
cattle there are however three golden rules:
do not touch, do not feed and keep your
distance.
Woods and lakes
The national parks woods are a natural
habitat for squirrels and birds of prey such
as the hawk, buzzard and wood owl. In ad-
dition some of the woods have a cultural-
historical value.
The dune lakes have a natural and some of
them also a recreational function.
15
The originally steep banks of the Vogelmeer
lake have been levelled off some years ago.
Specially built small islands in the lake
offer birds more possibilities to brood and
forage. Swamp and open water birds, such
as the black-necked grebe and water rail,
as well as amphibians feel better at home
now on and around the lake. To the visitor
the lake has become even more attractive
than it used to be. Many passers-by stop at
its side to enjoy the beautiful scenery and
numerous birds.
Connections
Good connections offer man and animal
greater prospects for exploring new possi-
bilities or extending their habitat elsewhere.
The Zuid-Kennemerland National Park is
engaged in establishing more ecological
and recreational connections with nature
reserves in the surroundings. The rst
actions for building an ecoduct over the
Zandvoortselaan have already been taken,
as this busy road proves to constitute a
barrier for animals to travel safely from one
dune area to another. Within the park itself
the pulling down of fences also means
more space for visitors and animals.
Nature-centred recreation
The national park includes an extensive
web of recreational facilities. Due to zoning
the visitor can fully enjoy nature while not
excessively disturbing plants and animals.
Inviting footpaths and cycle and riding
tracks run through the whole area, e.g. the
Duinpieperpad in the Kraansvlak where
you cycle through a sea village landscape
patched with old farming lands. The real
hiker can reach secluded areas by choosing
the smaller trails. Some parts of the park,
particularly in the northwest and the south,
are reserved as a refuge for animals. These
areas will be kept closed to the public, even
when in future times more visitors are
expected.
16
Communication and education
Communication and education serve both
nature conservation and nature-centred
recreation. The support of the population
is indispensable for the parks continua-
tion. To get this, much attention is given
to an open and service-orientated attitude
towards the public.
National Park Zuid-Kennemerland also
provides a variety of teaching packages and
excursion programmes for schools and
visitors, and effectively cooperates with
volunteers from all regional conservation
and environmental societies. Detailed in-
formation can be obtained from the visitor
centre, the yers near the parks entrances
and of course the website www.npzk.nl.
The visitor centre of this national park,
Duincentrum De Zandwaaier, has been in
operation since 1999. Visitors can contact
the centre in person, by telephone or digi-
tally for inquiries, questions and bookings.
De Zandwaaier is also the point of depar-
ture for many educational activities.
Research
The parks management constantly seeks
the conservation and improvement of
natures quality. Scientic research and
monitoring are necessary for good manage-
ment. Only in this manner a picture arises
of how species and the landscape will
develop in the course of time.
The various parties work together at a
single monitoring system to further
optimize management.
Through population studies and investi-
gations a lot of information about birds,
dragonies, bats, butteries, lizards and
roe deer among others, has already been
made available. Apart from foresters and
researchers also a great number of volun-
teers plays an essential role in collecting
the data.
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For further and up-to-the-day informa-
tion about National Park Zuid-Kenne-
merland see the website: www.npzk.nl
Information on all Dutch national parks
is on website: www.nationaalpark.nl
Coordination communication and
education Zuid-Kennemerland NP
c/o IVN Consulentschap Noord-Holland
Rechte Hondsbosschelaan 24a
1851 HM Heiloo
Tel. +31 (0)88 006 44 92
[email protected]
Duincentrum De Zandwaaier
Tetterodeweg 27
2051 EG Overveen
Tel. (023) 541 11 23
[email protected]
Vereniging Natuurmonumenten, beheer-
eenheid Kennemerland (Society for the
Conservation of Natural Monuments)
(Heerenduinen, Midden-Herenduin,
Duin en Kruidberg en Koningshof )
Zaanweg 70c
1521 DM Wormerveer
Tel. (075) 647 20 40
PWN Waterleidingbedrijf Noord-
Holland, regio Zuid (Provincial
Water Company Noord-Holland)
(De Kennemerduinen en Kraansvlak)
Postbus 2113
1990 AC Velserbroek
Tel. (023) 541 33 33
Staatsbosbeheer Kennemerland
(State Forest Service Kennemerland)
(Middenduin en Elswout)
Elswoutlaan 12a
2051 AE Overveen
Tel. (023) 524 03 60
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Information on the area
Publication:
IVN - National Park Zuid-Kennemerland
Text:
Lisette Geel
Lay-out:
WAT anders, Annette de Brueijs, Harlingen
Photographs:
Ruud Maaskant, Ronald van Zon, joost Veer
Printed by:
Flevodruk Harlingen BV
Map:
WAT anders, Annette de Brueijs, Harlingen
Final form:
IVN - Pauline van der Veldt
september 2009