Dogs have been banned from woods near Breda because of their impact on rare plants and the sensitive environment.
The Ulvenhoutse Bos is a popular place for walks but is facing high levels of pollution from farms, nearby motorways and excrement from local dogs.
“The piles they leave behind are small, but if there are a lot of them, it can cause localised damage,” ecologist Wieger Wamelink from Wageningen University told broadcaster NOS.
The forestry commission Staatsbosbeheer which runs the area estimates that two wheelbarrows of dog manure and four wheelbarrows of urine are deposited in the woods every day. “That means the soil is becoming too rich and rare plants cannot cope,” warden Wannes Rovers said.
Reducing the number of dogs is one of 28 measures that are being taken to combat pollution, he said.
Locals are unhappy with the decision, saying the woods fulfill a social function for both people and dogs. They have started a petition calling for a rethink.
Dogs are banned from woods and nature reserves in many parts of the country and have to be on a lead in others because of the damage they cause to plants and other animals.
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