Tree Planting with Politie Nederland & VRHM

Creating a Food Forest in Zoeterwoude

Against the backdrop of Dutch farmland and the soundtrack of local waterfowl, teams from Politie Nederland and VRHM (Veiligheidsregio Hollands Midden) joined forces in Zoeterwoude to support Hazelland10’s food forest project.

Following a carefully planned layout for optimal cross-pollination, wind protection, and nutritional support, the teams got to work selecting and placing the correct tree species at 3.5-meter intervals. Berry bushes were then positioned between them, and the digging began! Local chickens eagerly joined in, feasting on unearthed worms and naturally fertilizing the young trees in the process.

By the end of the day, a once-empty field had been transformed into eight structured rows of fruit and nut trees, including pears, apricots, pecans, hazelnuts, raspberries, blackberries, and plums. A big thank you to Politie Nederland and VRHM for their support and to Eline and Wim from Hazelland for their warm hospitality and expertise.

Planting Native Woodland in Klarenbeek

On Thursday, 13th February, two teams from the East Netherlands Politie braved icy winds to plant 1,000 native Dutch trees near a lake in Klarenbeek. Thanks to light sandy soil and pre-dug holes, the teams worked efficiently, making rapid progress despite early snow flurries. By the end of the day, winter sunshine and a stunning sunset provided a perfect close to the event.

We are grateful to the Politie teams for their hard work and enthusiasm, as well as for their generous donation of trees. We look forward to seeing this woodland grow and will keep you updated as it flourishes!