The forestry commission has raised €500,000 from the controversial sale of 34 hectares of woodland and meadows in Overijssel to help offset the impact of government spending cuts.

The internet auction was anonymous but the highest bidder paid €110,000 for a five hectare piece of land in Daarle.

The forestry commission (staatsbosbeheer) says it has been forced to sell land because its budget has been cut by €100m. In total, 17,000 hectares will come under the hammer.

Nature groups are going to court next week in an effort to have the sale halted. They want the contracts to include a commitment for the new owners to maintain the land as a natural environment.

Earlier stories
Ministry to press ahead with land sales
Forestry commission to cut 200 out of 1,000 jobs
Forestry commission to sell more trees
Public parks, reserves to be sold to raise €100m