The Role of Green Corridors on Bee and Bird Populations in Dutch Urban Planning

Written by: Muhammed Güney Aydemir

Urbanization, which is rapidly increasing on a global scale, causes natural living spaces to disintegrate and natural life services to deteriorate. This situation directly affects bee populations, which play a crucial role in pollination processes, and bird species that are essential for seed dispersal, insect control, and maintaining ecosystem balance. It’s attractive to improve strategic Dutch urban planning to mitigate this problem in the Netherlands, which is one of the most densely urbanized regions in Europe. In this context, “green corridors” stand out as a crucial planning tool to ensure the continuity of biodiversity within urban landscapes. (Snep, R. P. H., et al. 2009)

Additionally, the Netherlands holds a prominent position among countries that consider the protection of biodiversity as an integral component of urban planning. The country’s national environmental policies focus with a specific emphasis on fauna such as pollinators and bird species that are at risk during the urbanization process. Accordingly, the creation of green lines is encouraged as a continuous network connecting urban and rural areas within the framework of Ecologische Hoofdstructuur. This approach not only aims to protect large-scale natural reserves but also to articulate small-scale habitat fragments such as urban parks, community gardens, planting zones along waterways, and roof gardens to establish functional connections. Many Dutch cities, especially Rotterdam, Utrecht, and Amsterdam, have reshaped their planning strategies in line with this ecological network model, making uninterrupted green corridor systems a natural part of the urban fabric, enabling the mobility and gene flow of bird and bee populations despite the density of urban life. Therefore, city-based ecological corridor practices are a concrete reflection of the Dutch vision of sustainable urbanization, both from a practical and ecological perspective.  (Mattijssen, T. J. M., et. al. 2018)

The Position of the Green Corridor Approach in Urban Planning in Amsterdam

Amsterdam is one of the cities that has demonstrated measurable results in its strategies for conserving urban biodiversity. Of the approximately 358 bumblebee species recorded throughout the Netherlands (Nederlandse Bijenbank, 2021), 121 have been observed within Amsterdam's urban boundaries, significantly exceeding the European average for metropolitan areas. In terms of bird populations, the city reports over 140 native breeding species and nearly 300 observed during migration periods (Gemeente Amsterdam Biodiversity Rapport, 2022). Increasing the length of urban green corridors to over 75 km, integrating linear planting lines along canal systems into the 52 km urban waterway, and planning habitat supporting microgreen areas at least every 300 meters between large park areas have been decisive in preserving this diversity. Amsterdam also increased its roof garden surface from 400,000 m² to 540,000 m² between 2018 and 2023, strengthening vertical and horizontal ecological connections that ensure food sustainability for bee and butterfly species. The 2030 target is to achieve a total green roof capacity of 1 million square meters. These figures demonstrate that Amsterdam's green corridor strategy is not merely an aesthetic approach focused on spatial design, but a functional ecological infrastructure policy that demonstrably enhances faunal mobility and gene flow. (van der Meulen, S., et. al. 2021)

Figure 1: The figure shows biodiversity levels in Amsterdam (bee and breeding bird species) alongside the recent increase in green roof coverage.

Quantitative Assessment of Urban Biodiversity in Amsterdam

Ecological infrastructure practices that support the sustainability of urban biodiversity in Amsterdam have been producing measurable results in recent years. The record of approximately 121 wild bee species and 140 breeding native bird species within the city limits demonstrates that habitat continuity is maintained despite intensive urbanization(Gemeente Amsterdam Biodiversity Rapport, 2022; SOVON, 2023). Furthermore, a nearly 35 percent increase in green roof surfaces between 2018 and 2023 demonstrates the quantitative expansion of urban microhabitat areas and the successful integration of new vegetative surfaces into landscape planning, supporting year-round food access for pollinators. These data indicate that Amsterdam's green corridor approach is based not only on spatial organization but also on evidence-based interventions that enable species to function within the city. (SOVON Vogelonderzoek Nederland. 2023)

Conclusion

The Amsterdam example demonstrates that urban areas are resilient systems that can generate not only losses but also new ecological opportunities for biodiversity. Designing the urban landscape as a network where living things can move and adapt, rather than as isolated green slopes, offers a powerful model for redefining the ecological capacity of cities. This approach signals a new planning mindset that transforms green infrastructure from an aesthetic element into a fundamental component of the urban ecosystem. (Biodiversiteitsrapport Amsterdam 2022)

REFERENCES

1- Snep, R. P. H., Opdam, P., Baveco, H., WallisDeVries, M., Timmermans, W., Kwak, R., & Kuypers, V. (2009). Biodiversity in urban green networks: Linking ecology, urban planning and socio-economic drivers. Landscape and Urban Planning, 93(1), 113–122. 

2- Mattijssen, T. J. M., Buijs, A. E., Elands, B. H. M., & Arts, B. J. M. (2018). The ‘green’ city as a healthy city: Public participation in urban green space governance in the Netherlands. Land Use Policy, 79, 102–110. 

3- van der Meulen, S., Ossola, A., & Lundholm, J. (2021). Green roofs as urban habitat: Species assemblages, drivers, and ecological roles. Journal of Urban Ecology, 7(1), 1–12. 

4- SOVON Vogelonderzoek Nederland. (2023). Broedvogelmonitoring Nederland: Jaarverslag 2023. Nijmegen: SOVON Vogelonderzoek Nederland. 5- Gemeente Amsterdam. (2022). 

5- Biodiversiteitsrapport Amsterdam 2022. Amsterdam: Gemeente Amsterdam, Directie Ruimte & Duurzaamheid.