These are the lands that have been temporarily and free of charge made available to the farmer. The loan agreement has been terminated because the municipality wants to manage the lands in a more natural way. This is important because the meadows have been designated as Urban Green Main Structure and about half of the meadows are part of the Nature Network Netherlands.

The nature in Den Haag is under heavy pressure. Therefore, the municipality has investigated how nature can be strengthened. On the lands temporarily made available free of charge, the municipality wants to adjust the management because the current management uses pesticides, fertilizers, kills animals (such as moles), and brings in and spreads manure. This has consequences for nature and water quality. The farmer and the municipal council were informed about these measures last year. Lands that are temporarily made available to a farmer through short-term agreements and are part of our nature network are logical lands to consider for nature development.

The municipality allows the farmer to freely conduct his business within his lease contracts. The municipality would like to support the farmer in the transition to a more nature-inclusive form of farming that fits this unique location in the middle of the Randstad. The vast majority of the parcels remain leased to the respective farmer. The municipality has only terminated the parcels that the farmer has temporarily used free of charge last year. If the respective farmer wants to cooperate in the more natural management of the parcels, he can also play a role in these parcels.

The municipality has offered the farmer to manage the loan meadows in the future for the municipality against a market-conform compensation. In addition, the municipality is willing to pay for the guidance by an external foundation that can support the farmer in a transition to a more nature-inclusive form of farming, with the aim of achieving a financially healthy situation for the farmer. The municipality remains willing to continue discussions with this farmer, given the many lands that the farmer manages for the municipality.