Nature
National parks in the Netherlands were defined in the 1960s as areas of at least 10 sq km, consisting of natural terrains, water and/or forests, with a special landscape and flora and fauna. In the national parks, nature care and nature development is intensified, nature and environmental education, nature-oriented recreation and research are stimulated.
The first national park, in Schiermonnikoog, was established in 1989. The twentieth and last national park is the Nationaal Park De Alde Feanen that became established in April 2006.
The 20 Dutch National Parks are shown in the table below.
| Park | Province | Size (ha) |
|---|---|---|
| Nationaal Park Lauwersmeer | Groningen, Friesland | 6,000 |
| Nationaal Park Schiermonnikoog | Friesland | 7,200 |
| Nationaal Park De Alde Feanen | Friesland | 2,500 |
| Nationaal Park Drents-Friese Wold | Drenthe, Friesland | 6,100 |
| Nationaal Park Dwingelderveld | Drenthe | 3,700 |
| Nationaal beek- en esdorpenlandschap Drentsche Aa | Drenthe | >10,000 |
| Nationaal Park De Weerribben | Overijssel | 3,500 |
| Nationaal Park Sallandse Heuvelrug | Overijssel | 3,500 |
| Nationaal Park Veluwezoom | Gelderland | 6,000 |
| Nationaal Park De Hoge Veluwe | Gelderland | 5,500 |
| Nationaal Park Utrechtse Heuvelrug | Utrecht | 6,000 |
| Nationaal Park Duinen van Texel | North Holland | 4,700 |
| Nationaal Park Zuid-Kennemerland | North Holland | 3,800 |
| Nationaal Park Oosterschelde | Zeeland | 37,000 |
| Nationaal Park De Biesbosch | North Brabant, South Holland | 9,000 |
| Grenspark De Zoom - Kalmthoutse Heide | North Brabant, Antwerp (Belgium) | 3,750 |
| Nationaal Park De Loonse en Drunense Duinen | North Brabant | >3,500 |
| Nationaal Park De Groote Peel | North Brabant | 1,340 |
| Nationaal Park De Maasduinen | Limburg | 4,200 |
| Nationaal Park De Meinweg | Limburg | 1,600 |
