N Deposition in the NetherlandsImplications for Natura 2000

Jan Bakker September 2009

Content:

- N-emission and -deposition

- Impact on Dutch Natura 2000 areas

- Suggestions for a strategy

Nitrogen emission: trends

NOx

NH3

Sources of N-emission

NOx: 62 % traffic/ transport 26 % industry / energy 3 % agriculture

NH3: 2 % traffic/ transport 5 % industry/ energy 91 % agriculture

N-deposition

Average ‘free aerial’ fertilizing:25-30 kg total N/ha/yr

Sources of N-deposition

32% from foreigncountries

51% from Dutchagriculture

30% from livestockhousing

Use of livestock Manure 14 %

Geographical origin of N-deposition on Natura 2000-areas (average)

- 5-15 % of the deposition from sources within 1000 meter: increasing with emission density

- 50-75 % of the deposition from sources inside 15x15 km: increasing with emission density

- The remainder from sources outside 15x15 km; relative part decreasing with emission density, but absolute contibution remains constant

A ‘blanket’ of nitrogen deposition with locally ‘peaks’…

Impact Nature 2000:Soil map

Yellow: •Sandy and oligotrophic soils•Vulnerable for eutrophication

Within yellow:Concentration areas for intensive animal husbandry

Habitat directive areas

Critical deposition loads, some examples

HD-nr

description Critical load (mol N /ha/yr)

7140 Transition mires and quacking bogs

700

4030 European dry heaths 800

6510 Lowland hay meadows 1400

3270 Rivers with muddy banks

2400

Problems!

• Average annual deposition in east/south Netherlands is 1500-2000 mol N/ha

• That is 2-4 times as much as the critical loads of most vulnerable types

• Ca 50 % of Dutch habitattypes is ‘overloaded’ or at least at risk as a result of N-deposition (NB: NOT 50 % of the surface!!)

So this is the present situation:

- Environmental stress on many habitat types- Many N2000 conservation objectives under

pressure

As a result of EU/ national legislation:- Legal authorization for future extensions of

farms (cowsheds, pig stocks) will not be granted because of significant impacts

- Social impasse and polarization

What to do? Outline of a combined strategy

- Track 1: Reducing local emission bottlenecks (outplacement of farms from the edge of vulnerable Natura 2000 areas); AND

- Track 2: Reducing background deposition (action at (inter-)national level); AND

- Track 3: Improving other environmental conditions: site management, hydrological conditions, fragmentation…

Questions/ discussion….