Basisbestand Natuur en Landschap

In its work for studies by the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL), such as the Assessment of the Dutch Human Environment, the Environmental Data Compendium, the Natuurpact reflexive evaluation and the Nature Outlook, the Statutory Research Tasks Unit for Nature & the Environment (WOt N&M) makes use of various base maps of natural and semi-natural habitats, such as the Nature Base Map (BKN), the Land Use Database of the Netherlands (LGN database) and the map of habitat management types (Beheertypenkaart). The problem is that information derived from these maps can influence the indicators and model results used in the PBL studies and lead to inconsistencies between them. This report describes the design of a standardised procedure for compiling a Geodatabase of Nature and Landscape (Basisbestand Natuur en Landschap – BNL) that can be regularly updated. The BNL is a raster database with a resolution of 2.5 metres. It consists of several layers and is generated using a GIS script. The geometric basis of the map is Top10NL, which is considered to be a reflection of the true situation in the field. The management type map produced by the provincial governments (IMNaB) was used as a source database for the areas and types of natural and semi-natural habitats. This map is a key resource in Dutch nature policy for the allocation of subsidies for conservation management and for determining ecological quality. The aim is to obtain ‘Status A’ for the BNL under the WOT Quality Control system.