The Netherlands has granted national park status to Hollandse Duinen (a coastal strip of beaches and dunes in the western province of Zuid-Holland), stretching from Hoek van Holland to Hillegom and home to more than 7,000 plant and animal species. Nature minister Van Essen formally awarded the designation, which was championed by over sixty organisations and individuals since the idea was first proposed in 2016, and which entitles the park to dedicated government subsidies. However, Utrecht University ecology professor Patrick Jansen has criticised the move, arguing that the area does not meet internationally accepted criteria for a national park — which typically require large, contiguous and largely undisturbed natural ecosystems — and warning that the label could attract more tourists, placing additional pressure on the very nature it is meant to protect.