Farmers in North Holland will soon be able to actively combat wood pigeon damage on their plots again, as they were used to before 2023.

The Fauna Management Unit North Holland (FBE) is currently working on a new Wood Pigeon Fauna Management Plan. Once the plan is approved and the permit is granted, wood pigeons can again be driven away from crops with supportive shooting. This means that limited shooting will be used to scare them off: by shooting a few wood pigeons, the group learns that those fields are unsafe to stay in.

Damage Control Possible Again 

Until 2023, farmers could drive away and, if necessary, shoot wood pigeons based on a national exemption. Since the removal of that exemption following a lawsuit, agricultural damage has noticeably increased. Because there was no longer an exemption, the province had to compensate for crop damage. Last year, the province paid €8.5 million for wood pigeon damage. With the new management plan and the accompanying permit, farmers can now act as before: preventing damage by timely intervention.

Preventing Damage Instead of Compensating 

Now that farmers can actively combat the damage again, the financial compensation for damage caused by wood pigeons will also cease. The focus thus shifts back to preventing damage rather than compensating for it afterwards.

Outlook 

The permit for driving away and shooting wood pigeons has not yet been granted. To be able to start immediately, the province asks farmers and hunters to prepare themselves and make agreements for the coming growing season. The province supports farmers in careful execution of the control and helps LTO Noord set up a pilot to further strengthen cooperation between farmers and hunters on agricultural plots. The Provincial Executive wants to make €1 million available for the implementation of this.

In addition, the province, together with the FBE, is investigating how monitoring of the wood pigeon population can be further improved. Where necessary, the permit will be extended if the latest insights show this is responsibly possible.

Damage Control as a Starting Point 

For all damage-causing animal species, preventing damage is paramount. Only when active damage control is not allowed does financial compensation come into play.

Exception for Geese 

For greylag geese, barnacle geese, and black-headed geese, nothing changes: over the next 3 years, the province will actively work to reduce the current high population of summering geese to a stable low level. This reduces damage to nature, agriculture, and risks to aviation. Existing permits remain valid and farmers retain the right to compensation.

Wood Pigeons

The Environmental Service is expected to be able to grant a permit based on the new Wood Pigeon Fauna Management Plan. It is expected that driving away and, if necessary, shooting wood pigeons can take place again from February 2026.