Subsidy for biodiversity and landscape

Municipalities and forest and estate owners can receive a contribution for planting or restoring trees, landscape elements, and lanes in rural areas. Municipalities can also receive a subsidy for planting greenery in villages and cities. Greening streets, schoolyards, planting trees, or creating urban parks are also among the subsidy options. It is preferred that native species are planted. This increases the habitat for birds, insects, and other animal species. They can find more shelter, sleeping, and feeding places.

We contribute a maximum of 50% for projects submitted by municipalities, and 75% for projects submitted by forest and estate owners. There is a maximum of € 200,000 per project.

Residents make an important contribution

Harold Zoet, provincial executive for agriculture and nature: “Better biodiversity contributes to the restoration of nature. Restoration of nature is necessary to be able to grant permits again and to unlock Gelderland. In the restoration and increase of biodiversity, we want to involve residents, which is why we subsidize this. Residents can contribute a lot to biodiversity on their own property or as volunteers on others properties. Think of removing tiles, maintaining hedges, or planting trees or estate planting.

Do you have a (green) idea? Contact your municipality

Residents can approach their municipality with their plans and ideas to help landscape or biodiversity. For example, to create a butterfly garden together or to connect gardens for hedgehogs. The regulation now includes that a municipality must involve at least 1 local initiative in its application. This initiative must be carried out together with residents.

So do you have a green idea? Then go to your municipality as soon as possible. Then the chance is greatest that your idea is on time and included in the subsidy application.

Popular scheme

The subsidy scheme for biodiversity and landscape is very popular. Last year, the ceiling of the scheme was reached within 1 day. Therefore, we have increased the ceiling this year from € 2 million to € 2.5 million. We announce the scheme early so that everyone can prepare their application well.

Example projects

In 2024, we were able to subsidize 15 applications. In 4 examples, we show how these contribute to biodiversity and the landscape:

1. The municipality of Oude IJsselstreek is working with 15 ambassador species. These are species that naturally occur in the Oude IJsselstreek. Together with residents, the municipality is creating new habitats for these species.
2. Municipality of Berkelland is connecting nature in the rural area with tree belts, hedgerows, and ditches. So-called green-blue threading in 80 projects and wants to sow 10 hectares of herb-rich grassland.
3. Municipality of Tiel is giving a tree to almost 1,000 residents of Tiel with their own garden with the plan Every household a tree. The goal is to create a green, healthy, and biodiverse living environment in the neighborhoods.
4. The owner of Estate Heerlijkheid Eck en Wie is restoring the high-stem orchard and will further expand it. This orchard is important for the landscape and for various birds, insects, and small mammals. This has already been realized, and a 150-meter-long nature-friendly bank has also been created along an existing waterway.

Read more about the biodiversity and landscape scheme.