Large majority of Groningen parties in favor of predation-free areas for grassland birds | Veld-post.nl

In total, fourteen of the nineteen parties participating in the legislative elections responded to the various statements presented to them by the editors of Veldpost.

Ten of the fourteen parties agree, four disagree with the statement “Groningen must establish predation-free areas for grassland birds and actively manage them there”.

JA21 does not believe it is necessary to buy land from farmers to protect grassland birds. It is therefore a firm declaration: “This must stop”. They think it is important that meadow birds are protected. The SP is for unarmed management. GroenLinks sees more in the application of “basic measures”: more space, higher water levels and grass-rich lawns. Groninger Belang and the SGP believe that if you opt for grassland bird management, you should also do something about foxes, weasels, etc. ‘Otherwise it’s the mop with the tap open’.

D66, Party for the North, Party for the Animals and Jesus Lives disagree. The Party for the Animals believes that Groningen should strive to improve the protection of grassland and farmland birds by making more areas suitable through rewetting and suitable land use. The Party for the North questions the feasibility and calls the predation-free zones pleasant for the scene, but impossible in practice. ‘How to create zones without predation? With hunters and hunters? Will the province post signs that say “no foxes or birds of prey”?

Keep an eye on Veldpost in the coming weeks for more Groningen party views.

Parties agree with the statement:

The province encourages attractive habitats for wildlife. In the event of nuisance, damage or when safety is at stake, different game management methods are used.

GroenLinks sees that meadow birds are decreasing. They therefore need to be better protected. This can be done by applying the basic measures: more space, high water levels and grassy lawns. Give the meadowbird space. Additionally, predation management can be used in some areas where predation has proven to be a problem. The emphasis is on deterrence.

Meadows and fields can be arranged in such a way that there are sufficient opportunities for meadow birds to hide or flee. The SP is for unarmed management.

The BBB wants predation-free areas across the province, where meadow birds, crops and salt marshes are managed.

Management of grassland birds cannot be done without managing predation.

We want to see how we can set up predation management, for example a pilot for the management of martens, among other things. We are now buying land in Groningen to protect grassland birds. This again limits farmers. This must stop. We believe it is important to protect grassland birds in the wild.

Unfortunately, we are already allowing predators such as wolves to advance further and further. As a result, questions now arise about the establishment of areas without predation. There is hardly any untouched nature in the Netherlands. We must therefore focus much more actively on the management of nature instead of upsetting the balance by wolves, for example.

If you opt for grassland birds, this must also do something to prevent, for example, martens, foxes, buzzards, etc. to hunt birds, chicks and eggs. Otherwise, it’s mopping with the faucet open.

If foxes, martens, crows, etc. can do their job, grassland bird management is unnecessary. The Stone Marten pilots, among others, prove it.

The decline in the grassland bird population is of concern. If good management, adapting land use and raising water levels are not enough, it may be necessary to put in place measures against predators.

First, the areas must be in good condition and there must be no other causes of grassland bird decline in those areas. For D66, animal-friendly methods favor active hunting over predators. Only then is a predator driven away.

Groningen should strive to improve the protection of grassland and farmland birds by adapting more areas through rewetting and adapted land use. No predators like martens, foxes, cats or crows are killed to protect farmland birds.

Nice for the stage. Impossible in practice. How to set up predation-free zones? With hunters and hunters? Will the province post signs that say “no foxes or birds of prey”?

Leave that to the landowner.