Working on clean and healthy water in Uitgeester & Heemskerkerbroek
Clean and healthy water. That is the goal of the cooperation between the Province of North Holland, HHNK, municipalities Heemskerk and Uitgeest, site managers PWN and LNH, residents and agricultural entrepreneurs for the Uitgeester- & Heemskerkerbroek. Over the next two years they will work to make the water in ditches and canals cleaner. This will create more biodiversity and a pleasant living environment where you can enjoy the water.
Clean and healthy water is important for agriculture, industry, drinking water and energy supply and is indispensable for nature in North Holland. That is why these parties have joined forces to improve water quality and strengthen nature.
Plant protection products
The cooperation of agricultural entrepreneurs is crucial in this project. One of the problems is that the water contains too many nutrients and pesticides. Farmers in Heemskerk are therefore getting help in reducing leaching of nutrients and pesticides into the water. There is also education for residents on the use of biological weed control in their (public) gardens. Chemical agents, even in small quantities, are very harmful to ground and ditch water.
Farmers manage ditches
There will be more nature-friendly banks in the urban area. Sloping banks are good for biodiversity and water quality. Where possible, ditches will be deepened to make them more suitable for fish and other aquatic animals. The management of ditches also receives more attention from municipalities, the water board and farmers in the area. Fish migration routes are being improved to give fish more space. Another measure is introducing less nutrient-rich water from the Castricummerpolder by filtering the phosphate out of the water. The project is a pilot with room for new applications, such as dephosphating the water with iron sand and the application of purifying soil mats in ditches.
Promising area
The Uitgeester and Heemskerkerbroek is one of the 14 areas in Noorderkwartier with good chances of improving water quality before 2027, the final date of the European Water Framework Directive. It is expected that clean and healthy water can be achieved in these areas by implementing measures. Clean and healthy water is necessary for the development of a greater diversity of aquatic plants, aquatic animals and fish.
Area of great diversity
The diversity in the Uitgeester and Heemskerkerbroek makes the area very suitable as a pilot to learn from for approaches in other areas. There are different subareas, each with its own problems, opportunities and stakeholders. Along the inner dune edge is a horticultural area with greenhouses, arable farming and bulb cultivation. There is an urban area with the main cores of Uitgeest and Heemskerk. There is also a peat meadow area with dairy farms and a nature reserve.
