AnsvarIdéa supports nature restoration through IUCN NL Entrepreneurs for Nature Fund

With a donation of 18,000 euros to the IUCN NL Entrepreneurs for Nature Fund, Dutch insurer AnsvarIdéa contributes to nature restoration in the Frisian peat meadow landscape. This marks the launch of Entrepreneurs for Nature.

Header photo: (c) pxhere

Last year IUCN NL and AnsvarIdéa started a pilot for their Entrepreneurs for Nature Fund. With this fund, IUCN NL supports nature restoration measures in the Netherlands or abroad that contribute to a robust nature network in which vulnerable flora and fauna can flourish. The first donation to the fund is from AnsvarIdéa and will go to a project in the peat meadow landscape of Friesland. With our contribution, the Frisian nature organisation It Fryske Gea can restore the water balance on It Eilân East. It Eilân East is an island in the peat meadow landscape around the nature reserve De Alde Feanen where several challenges are faced’, says Paul Burger of AnsvarIdéa.

It Eilân-East serves as meadow bird nesting area in spring and foraging place for geese in winter. In addition, the area serves as a calamity polder in case of extremely high storage basin levels. In 2012, the polder was used for the first time for that purpose and it is expected that it will be used more often due to climate change. For a meadow bird area to function properly, it is important that a high water level is maintained in the right period.

Fokke-Jan de Jong is district manager of It Fryske Gea: ‘The ditch structure on It Eilân-East is important for keeping the grassland wet in the spring. Meadow birds need that for their safety and a rich food supply for their young. In addition, a so-called ‘greppelplas-dras’ reduces CO2 emissions. After the breeding season, the grasslands need to drain again quickly in order to be able to mow and graze the land. In short, ditches have a very important function all year round. AnsvarIdéa’s contribution to the ‘Entrepreneurs for Nature Fund’ will enable us to build new ditch pipes and replace a number of culverts to improve water flow.

Insurer AnsvarIdéa has been working on improving the sustainability of its insurance policies, investments and operations for some time now. Through this donation, the insurer now also supports nature restoration and landscape conservation in an area close to home. The project simultaneously serves several relevant social objectives – strengthening of nature values, preservation of cultural-historical landscape and climate buffering.

Caspar Verwer is closely involved in the cooperation with AnsvarIdéa from IUCN NL. It’s great to see how intrinsically motivated AnsvarIdéa is to further green its operations and great that we were able to link them to this valuable project of It Fryske Gea through our Entrepreneurs for Nature Fund.

Entrepreneurs for Nature

The Entrepreneurs for Nature Fund of IUCN NL is building a portfolio of high-impact, promising nature restoration projects. In the Netherlands, these are nature restoration projects of organisations that manage nature areas (and are often members of IUCN). Abroad, they are the local partners of the IUCN NL Land Acquisition Fund who acquire and manage nature reserves. Through the fund, IUCN NL brings together the demand from companies to support nature development projects and the supply of projects by land management organisations.

About AnsvarIdéa

AnsvarIdéa is a Dutch socially committed insurance company offering distinctive and sustainable insurance products for the retail market. In serving our customers and working with our partners, we are accessible and empathetic. We try to do this in a sincere manner towards all our stakeholders.

About It Fryske Gea

It Fryske Gea is the provincial association for nature protection in Friesland. The organisation works on the protection, conservation and development of nature, landscape and cultural heritage. It Fryske Gea currently manages more than 60 different nature reserves with a total area of 20,000 hectares. It is supported in this by 35,000 members.

About IUCN NL

IUCN NL is an international nature organisation operating from Amsterdam. We are part of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the world’s largest union for the protection of nature. Our vision is a just world in which nature is valued and protected. We pay special attention to areas of high natural value and exceptional biodiversity that are under pressure, and to the people who depend on that nature.