The FNP is very concerned about how the meadow birds in Fryslân are doing. Although more eggs were laid in 2023, they do not always hatch and it is difficult for young chicks to survive. If we continue in the existing way, Fryslân will probably not achieve its goals. We need to step it up a notche.
Last week, the 2023 Annual Report on the population of meadow birds in Fryslân was published. The policy goal of the Province of Fryslân is to have 10,000 breeding pairs of the godwit again by 2030 – in 1990 this was still 30,000 pairs. Other species are also showing a decline. With that aim and by deploying a wide range of measures, the province has resolved to fulfill its obligation to protect meadow birds.
Once again it has not been possible to reverse the negative trend and that is why the FNP is asking questions to the Provincial Executive. On the one hand, this concerns compliance with the agreements made with the sector regarding the duty of care for field and meadow birds and, on the other hand, it concerns the stimulation of meadow bird management by farmers through, among other things, agricultural nature and landscape management.
There are a large number of policy initiatives in the pipeline with financial resources that can contribute to them, for example through European subsidies or through the transition fund of the National Rural Area Program (NPLG). The FNP wants to know how these resources can be used. It is important that time is not wasted unnecessarily. Speed is necessary to reverse the trend and achieve the goals that the province has set itself.
