The Province of South Holland is allocating an additional 20ac7.5 million in 2026 for agricultural nature and landscape management. This increases the total budget to 20ac18.5 million. This fits within the provincial policy to combine nature restoration with future-proof agriculture. Several applications for this funding have already been approved.
With the extra funds, the province supports farmers who contribute to provincial goals for biodiversity, water quality, and landscape quality. Agricultural nature management is an important tool in South Hollands approach to strengthening meadow and arable bird areas, improving ecological connections in the landscape, and enhancing water quality.
Agricultural nature management can be chosen through various packages of measures. The available management packages include herb-rich grasslands and field edges, wetland areas, delayed mowing, extensive grazing, and flower strips. These measures contribute to nature goals and sustainable farming practices for farmers. A great win-win situation for farmers and nature.
Arno Bonte, Nature Deputy of the Province of South Holland: With this investment, we implement our policy to connect nature restoration and agriculture. Farmers play a key role in strengthening biodiversity, improving water quality, and preserving an attractive landscape. With this extra budget, we make it possible for more farmers to actively contribute.
Participation through regional collectives
Farmers who want to participate can register with the regional agricultural collective. In consultation with the collective, possibilities are explored. An overview of the management packages and contact persons is available via the agricultural collectives and via BoerenNatuur (opens in a new window).
Agricultural nature management in South Holland in practice
This subsidy is not new: the Province of South Holland has already approved several applications this year for the expansion of agricultural nature and landscape management (ANLb). Nine out of 10 agricultural collectives in the province use the possibility to expand their management area. This gives the extra budget for agricultural nature management a concrete form in the South Holland landscape.
An important part of the subsidy expansion is indexing the reimbursements. For the establishment of grassland and landscape elements, rates increase by 15 to 20%. This brings the reimbursements closer to a market-conform reward and keeps participation in agricultural nature management attractive for farmers.
Deputy Arno Bonte is pleased with the extra funds available: We see that agricultural collectives are fully utilizing the extra budget. By indexing the rates and allowing room for expansion, we ensure that agricultural nature management remains attractive in the coming years. This way, farmers can continue to commit to nature, water, and landscape, with fair compensation for their work.
Different regions, different measures
The expansion also shows clear regional accents. In the South Holland delta, significant investments are made in nature measures in arable land, through a new collective that emerged on January 1, 2026, from a merger of the former collectives Hoekse Waard and South Holland Islands. This cooperation makes it possible to implement nature measures on a larger scale and more coherently.
In the Alblasserwaard, the emphasis is on expanding landscape elements such as ditches and nature-friendly banks. This aligns with a provincial area project aimed at improving water quality and biodiversity, among others through so-called pracht slots.
By approving these applications, the Province of South Holland takes a next step in strengthening nature and landscape on farmland, in close cooperation with farmers and collectives.