With a donation of 15 million euros, a plan to make an open connection to the Wadden Sea at the Frisian village of Holwerd is seriously within reach. The project will bring the Wadden nature inside the dike, including ebb and flow.
The Dutch Postcode Lottery decided yesterday to designate the plan ‘Holwerd aan Zee’ as a ‘dream project’ for this year. The lottery gives away one or more large sums of money each year to enable the execution of special, pioneering plans, including for nature restoration. Earlier, money went to the construction of the Marker Wadden nature reserve and the restoration of the tidal nature in the Haringvliet.
Artist impression of Holwerd aan Zee. Pleasure boats can sail from the Wadden Sea to the boulevard of Holwerd.
Holwerd aan Zee was conceived by four inhabitants of the region. With the nature and recreation project they want to take the area out of the economic malaise. Holwerd is located in a shrinking region, the village impoverished because more and more people moved. The four, Jan Zijlstra, Marco Verbeek, Hessel Hiddema and Theo Broersma, have worked out their plan for Holwerd aan Zee with the full support of citizens and farmers from the village.
Dike breakthrough
They need 65 million. There are already commitments from various governments up to a total of 20 million. Since yesterday, 35 million have been available with the Postcode Lottery donation. The initiators hope that the national government will now also come up with a substantial subsidy. A further application is pending at the Wadden Fund.
In order to get Holwerd to the sea, a breakthrough must be made in the high Waddendijk near the village. A storm surge barrier will then be built in the dike, which will only close in the event of extreme high water and heavy storms. Within the dike, marsh marsh marshlands and a lake will be constructed on the 35 hectares of agricultural land between the Wadden Sea and the village. The construction of navigation channels will create an open connection with the Wadden Sea, so that fresh and salt water can mix. Pleasure craft will be able to sail from the Wadden Sea to the boulevard of Holwerd.
Improving nature
The application for money from the dream fund of the Postcode Lottery was made by Vogelbescherming Nederland, with the support of It Fryske Gea and the Waddenvereniging. The Dutch Society for the Protection of Birds expects the new nature reserve to play an important role in the recovery of populations of breeding birds in the Wadden Sea. The project may also be important for fish that migrate between fresh and salt water. An open connection will be created between the Frisian basin and the sea.
According to Margriet Schreuders, head of the Postcode Lottery charities, the project ‘fits perfectly into the list of iconic Dutch nature projects realised by the participants in the lottery’. Schreuders: “Holwerd aan Zee appeals enormously to the imagination. This plan makes the area more attractive for living and recreation. For us and for the nature organisations, the improvement of the nature values in the area is especially important.
Since the foundation of the Dream Fund, more than 161 million euro has been given to 19 projects until 2017. On 4 March, during a Good Money Gala, the Postcode Lottery will announce how the proceeds will be spent this year. Usually, half of the money is donated to goals in the area of man and nature. Last year a total of over 350 million was given away. See also: ‘Dream project’ to bring the Friesian Holwerd back to life. (source: www.trouw.nl)
