Baarn, a scenic town in the Netherlands, offers beautiful natural areas like De Stulp and De Kuil. However, Staatsbosbeheer struggles with enforcing rules to protect these spots. Despite fees from mountain bikers, violations such as off-trail riding, dog issues, and littering remain widespread. Limited resources and staff hinder proper oversight, threatening the area's natural beauty and wildlife protection.
We are almost at the end of 2024, and so I would like to wish you all in advance, especially those for whom it holds meaning, a Merry Christmas and a very prosperous 2025. What will the new year bring us? My mother always used to tell me: “Don’t look further than the tip of your nose, and don’t stick your nose too much into other people’s business.” It was only much later that I learned the connection between these remarks and the "Circle of Influence" model, a concept that made Stephen Covey (1932-2012) world-famous. Be careful of what you say and to whom you say it, and don’t overestimate your influence on the things around you! I realize I don't always follow this advice in some cases, but I do believe that sometimes it’s necessary for someone to step out of their "comfort zone" in certain situations.
When are you right or wrong?
A good example of being right or wrong can be found almost daily in the area around my current hometown of Baarn, and the neighboring towns of Soest and Hilversum. I can assure you that these are very beautiful, forested places to live. But "every advantage has its disadvantage." This lovely "oasis" is about 25 kilometers away from the capital of the Netherlands, Amsterdam. Even though Amsterdam also has many beautiful parks, many of the residents of Amsterdam, as well as those from other busy Dutch cities, come to the surrounding nature areas, such as De Stulp and De Kuil, especially on weekends.
Are you a hiker, mountain biker, or dog lover?
As a hiker, dog lover, or mountain biker, you can truly enjoy your time in this beautiful area. You are very welcome, also in the local cafes, and I’ll specifically mention Boscafé "Buiten in de Kuil." Mountain bikers can use the well-maintained bike trails in this area for €7.50 per year. But yes, “The world is not enough.” This applies here as well because, despite the many clear signs indicating what is and isn’t allowed, many "tourists" feel the need to take advantage of this beauty. And why not? There is little to no enforcement, or the authorities simply look the other way. Mountain bikers who create their own routes, walkers who let their dogs loose, people dumping trash, or dogs running off-leash in areas where this is not allowed due to the protection of wildlife or nature in general, or horse riders who don’t know what horse trails are. After all, who is affected by this?
Do you ever find your job too complicated?
Personally, I find it very frustrating that despite all the media attention about nature conservation, there is such poor supervision in these beautiful areas. I’ve tried to listen to various organizations that I thought should be maintaining order in this area, including the owner or operator of Boscafé "Buiten in de Kuil." Despite leaving my business card there, I received no response. I then reached out to Natuurmonumenten and Staatsbosbeheer. I spoke to both of them by phone. At Natuurmonumenten, I was quickly told that they were not involved in the area I mentioned. When I spoke to Staatsbosbeheer, I was connected to a press officer who explained that the lack of enforcement regarding nature violations was due to a staff shortage. The organization was fully aware of the poor situation but was unable to handle the demand, and they would make sure I got in touch with the responsible person.
How does Staatsbosbeheer handle its responsibilities?
The next day, I was in contact with the person from Staatsbosbeheer, whose name I will not mention out of courtesy. This person immediately came up with a lot of counterarguments: I shouldn’t complain so much, according to "him" the problem was not with the mountain bikers, and I should pay more attention to the dog owners and hikers. I felt that I had little space to ask questions. The person told me that Staatsbosbeheer (one of the wealthiest foundations in the Netherlands) had to make do with limited resources and that even people from the Municipality of Baarn had been brought in, as there were insufficient funds to even control the area.
Did you know that only the Dutch state benefits from nature in Baarn?
The person also told me that the €7.50 annual fee from mountain bikers went entirely to the Dutch state and could not be used to control the nature violators and polluters. I don’t know if this is true, but I would like to see at least part of this money being used to monitor those who misuse this beautiful environment. I find all these discoveries quite troubling, as I have since learned that the "tourist facilities" in this beautiful nature area are expected to be expanded significantly in the coming years. As you may know, I often write from my gut feeling, and don’t always know all the details for certain, but from my gut, I often feel uneasy when I suspect the abuse of circumstances. Do you know more about this, or would you like to add something? Please let me know via the appropriate channels.
Merry Christmas, in the beautiful nature, also in your own surroundings, but stay alert.
