From June 1 to June 30, 2025, farmers, land managers, and nature organizations in South Holland can again apply for subsidies through the Improving Habitat for Farmland Birds scheme. This scheme aims to structurally improve the living conditions of farmland birds and thereby strengthen or even increase their declining populations. A total of €500,000 is available for this subsidy in 2025.

The subsidy scheme has already produced visible results in recent years. Thanks to the allocated funds, various concrete measures have been implemented. For instance, several locations have had wetland pumps installed, which create wet conditions in the meadows—ideal for meadow birds such as the black-tailed godwit, lapwing, and redshank. Especially in this dry spring, these pumps are of immense importance. Wildlife cameras have also been purchased to monitor bird behavior and potential threats, and trees and bushes have been removed to reduce predation pressure.

In addition, subsidies were provided for the establishment of bird-friendly landscape elements, such as bird fields, winter feeding areas, and the planting of hedges and bushes. These provisions offer food, shelter, and safe nesting sites for birds throughout various seasons.

South Holland plays a key role in the conservation of farmland birds. The province hosts important breeding areas for species that are becoming increasingly rare in the Netherlands. The black-tailed godwit, our national bird, can still be found relatively abundantly here, but is under heavy pressure from intensive land use, drying out, and predation.

With the reopening of the subsidy scheme, the province hopes to take steps together with farmers and nature managers towards a future where farmland birds are given the space to recover and raise their young safely. The subsidy scheme can be found on our webpage.

This subsidy stems from the Action Plan for Farmland Birds.

To turn the tide, 8 parties from South Holland, including the province of South Holland, have developed the Action Plan for Farmland Birds 2019 – 2027. There is hard work being done together to implement the action lines from this plan with the aim of breaking the declining trend.

Subsidies can be applied for actions and measures that align with the mentioned scheme. The subsidy is only granted to agricultural collectives and land management organizations.