Walking through Het Verdronken Land van Saeftinghe one can truly feel that Dutch nature is kept prison by agriculture, industry and urbanisation, even a wild and dynamic area as Saeftinghe. Again and again nature will be defeated in the end. Take the Hedwigepolder, bordering Saeftinghe. The current anti-nature government has repeatedly breached treaties and postponed the inundation of the polder as compensation for damage to nature by dredging activities. The emotions of a handful Zeeland inhabitants outweighs the international nature agreements and the value of the Westerschelde for thousands of waterbirds. But it is not too late: BirdLife Netherlands has sued the Dutch government. Let’s hope the judge can turn the tide.

Cheers, Niels

It is always fascinating to see how plants can conquer a seemingly inhospitable habitat. Drifting sand is dry, hot and dynamic. But there are species that survive. One of the first species to appear is grey hair grass. It immobilizes the sand and facilitates other species, mostly other grasses and lichens, to occupy the open patches. But here an oak has rooted in the shade of the grey hair grass. Normally looking for secluded places, now it is a pioneer, swimming against the tide, fighting the elements. This is how I occasionally consider myself, discovering new places, setting up new projects and sometimes going for the goal without knowing the outcome. The oak is putting all its power in its survival, the leaves have already gained their autumn coloration, whereas the summer is only halfway. Will it stand tall?

Cheers, Niels