The Verklikkerstrand has been awarded Green Beach status: Which means that on this beach there is more room for nature. Instead of using machines to remove water-borne debris (Wrack), volunteers manually remove only non-natural waste materials. Seaweed is retained as it is an important food source for small (sea) creatures. In turn, the latter feed birds such as the oystercatcher and the pied plover. If the beach is quiet enough, these birds even breed there. The Green Beach provides space for nature and humanity: a nature reserve humans can enjoy!
Green Beaches provide space for humans and nature. Humans enjoy taking walks there, building sand castles and lying in the sun whilst the animals rest, seek food and have their young there. They need our help to do so. Please take the following into account:
People regularly encounter seals – the Netherlands’ largest predator – on the beach. Seals use the sandbank just off the Verklikkerstrand as a rest area. Two species of seal occur in the Netherlands: common and grey seals. The latter have their pups in the winter, the former in the summer.
This small wading bird has become rare. There are only a few suitable breeding beaches left and even there the birds are often (inadvertently) disturbed. These beautiful birds have a fighting chance thanks to the manual beach cleaning performed here and the added protection!
On the Green Beach we don’t remove seaweed and other natural materials that wash ashore. These materials are an important food source for many beach insects who, in turn are food for shorebirds. These natural materials also play an important role in the development of new dunes.
Sand fleas aren’t fleas at all, but tiny crustaceans! They play a key role on the beach as they live on seaweed and other natural materials as well as being an important source of food for birds.
When you see birds foraging among the seaweed they are hunting for sand fleas.
I’ll clean up around here!
If you use the Green Beach app, you can help us catalogue beach life on Dutch beaches. How it works? Scan the QR code, then fill in which plants, animals or beached items you see on the beach. Many thanks!
Have you found an unprotected nest? Provide the exact location data by calling
+31 (0)6 4311 6718 or emailing secretaris@nvsd.nl.
The Verklikkerstrand Green Beach needs volunteers!The volunteer network cleans up waste, protects birds, provides information about the beach and monitors nature there. Want to help? For more information see: duinbehoud.nl/het-groene-strand/.
Many thanks to the beach community’s volunteers and the Municipality of Schouwen-Duiveland who made this possible.
The Green Beach is a collaboration between LandschappenNL, Stichting Duinbehoud, IVN Natuureducatie, Vogelbescherming and Stichting ANEMOON. The Postcode Loterij supports The Green Beach. Furthermore, Natuur- en Vogelwacht Schouwen-Duiveland, Staatsbosbeheer, NME Schouwen-Duiveland, Deltamilieu Projecten, Stichting Doe Mee Verlos de Zee, De Bende van het Strand, seal refuge A Seal, Zeehondenwachters Schouwen-Duiveland, Strandpaviljoens Schouwen-Duiveland and Groencombinatie Schouwen-Duivenland’s enthusiastic support helped make The Green Beach at Het Verklikkerstrand a reality. Supported by the Municipality of Schouwen-Duiveland [NL].
Duin is het kwartaalblad van Stichting Duinbehoud. Het biedt informatieve artikelen over planten en dieren, het beheer van de duinen, knelpunten, historie en toekomst van de duinen. Vraag een proefexemplaar aan!
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