The Dutch forestry commission Staatsbosbeheer is looking at bringing in private investment or even complete privatisation, the Financieele Dagblad reports on Monday.

The organisation, which manages state-owned land and forests, would welcome ‘more participation from people’, director Chris Kalden is quoted as saying. He was reacting to earlier proposals from a member of the commission’s advisory council who recommends full privatisation.
Advisory council member Frederik van Beuningen says the commission should set up a new limited company called Mooi Nederland which would buy land from the state using money from private investors. Van Beuningen, a private investor himself, says the scheme could raise €2.5bn, of which €2bn would go to the government and the rest to pay dividends of 2% over 10 years.
Kalden says the commission recognises its income from the state – currently €90m a year – may be reduced. ‘The government’s message is that there will be fewer public resources at a time when demand for nature is increasing,’ he told the FD. Nevertheless, the state must remain involved and a partial privatisation would be more appropriate, Kalden said.
The FD says the economic affairs ministry is currently looking into ways to make it easier for people to invest in nature