Four of the country’s 12 provinces have rejected cabinet plans to transfer the management of national parks and reserves to their control, cutting €600m from government spending.

Drenthe and Friesland provinces have now jointed Groningen and Noord-Brabant in voting no to the scheme. Flevoland is still undecided.
It is unclear what will happen to the agreement now one third of the country’s provinces have said they will not carry it out. Some experts have suggested an intermediary be brought in to try to break the deadlock.
Minister
Minister Henk Bleker and the 12 provincial councils reached agreement about the transfer of responsibility for nature management in September, after nearly a year of talks.
The agreement involves giving the provinces direct responsibility for the establishment of a nationwide grid of national parks and protected areas, known as the EHS, with a budget of €100m a year to manage the project.
According to newspaper Trouw, by shifting control to the provinces, national government has been able to shave €600m from its accounts.
Damaging
Last month, a government think-tank said the cabinet’s plans are damaging the Dutch natural environment and some species of plant and animal will disappear.
The Netherlands Environment Assessment Agency said in a confidential report there will be ‘irreparable damage’ if the government continues its proposed policies and EU targets will not be met.