Landscape of values

Photo of a road bordered by flowers from underneath the gateway of a historical building in the Kaapse Bossen, Ruiterberg
View from underneath a historical heritage building of estate Ruiterberg near Doorn. Photo: Stichting NPUH.

With its provision of ecosystem services and cultural-historical heritage, the NPUH is an area with important intrinsic and economic value. Questions arise on how these different values can be balanced and secured in times of high environmental and societal pressure on the area. In the Research & Education Hub Utrechtse Heuvelrug UU’s expertise on governance, economics, innovation and nature-based solutions can help to answer such questions.

Showcases

  • Msc thesis: assessment on the variation in aboveground carbon stock of Dutch food forests

    In addition to promoting biodiversity, carbon storage is a major benefit of food forests. Storing carbon reduces carbon dioxide in the air and thus contributes to combating climate change. This MSc thesis investigates the carbon stocks of 21 Dutch food forests and studies how carbon stocks are influenced, all part of the Nationaal Monitoringsprogramma Voedselbossen (NMVB) that was set up in 2019 by the Green Deal Voedselbossen. 

    Kaspar Buinink

  • MSc thesis: cultural heritage buildings in the circular transition

    If the Netherlands wants to be fully circular by 2050, existing buildings must be included in this process. However, because the circular economy (CE) does not yet have a cultural and social dimension, it is difficult to apply the CE to cultural heritage. This research addresses the question of how circularity can be stimulated for buildings that belong to cultural heritage.

    Liselotte Buring

  • BSc project: landowners facing water problems on the Utrechtse Heuvelrug

    This BSc project studies the reearch question: “How can Stichting NPUH better support different types of landowners in overcoming the problems they face in their work to maintain the quality of both nature and cultural heritage with a focus on water-related issues?”

  • BSc consultancy project: From nature to money, the natural value of national park Utrechtse Heuvelrug

    Nature on the Utrechtse Heuvelrug provides a number of valuable ecosystem services. Consider, for example, carbon storage, recreational interests, water purification, wood extraction and air filtration. This BSc student project conducted research into the financial value of these ecosystem services.