Spontane bosontwikkeling in Nederland: strategie en toepassing

Spontaneous forest expansion is a key strategy for achieving the Netherlands' goal of 10% forest cover increase by 2050. Research shows natural regeneration on abandoned agricultural or bare lands can outperform planted forests in early carbon sequestration, especially with pioneer species. Soil seed banks, land-use history, and grazing patterns influence success. A 2023 design competition in Hooge Beek demonstrated integrating initial planting with natural succession on a 12-hectare peat forest site, using hydrological and ecological principles to support long-term biodiversity and carbon storage.