HSHL02: Future fen meadow area

The open area between Haaglanden and Rijnmond is an important outlet area for recreation, with people coming from the surrounding urbanized area. The available space is under increasing pressure and it has been designated as a metropolitan park in the Randstad 2040 plans.

Climate change also affects this fen meadow area by an increase of the shortage as well as excess of water. The water shortage causes increased pressure on external freshwater inlet. During long events of low river discharge the salt water tongue moves land inward.  This causes freshwater inlets to become less suitable. Warmer summers lead to a higher demand of freshwater inlet, whilst the river discharge will decrease. Other relevant climate changes are increased precipitation in winter, increased precipitation intensity during the summer and drier summers. There is a possibility that soil subsidence increases as a cause of warmer and drier summers.

All these changes will have societal impacts on the current land use and water management. The question is whether the required adaptation to these changes can be used to pursue other societal and policy goals for the area. Some of these goals are the preservation of the open fen meadow area, increasing recreational possibilities and buffering advancing urbanization.

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