Head and Tail

The Wieden have been added to the Weerribben National Park for ten years now, creating the Weerribben-Wieden in 2009. That was not always a fait accompli. Many forces opposed the extension because it would ‘lock the economy’. This study by Triple E from 2008 showed that adding the Wieden to the national park would actually boost the area. After all, that is what is called a ‘brand’ in marketing. The added value of the expansion was not only in recreation, catering and retail, but also in an increase in house prices. After all, houses become more valuable if they are located in or near a national park, according to conversations with real estate agents. The study has given the expansion of the national park a strong boost. And that is something that nobody regrets in 2019.