4.8 Wander garden, Philip Healthcare

Philips Healthcare in Best has reserved a building site for future company expansions. For the meantime, a butterfly garden was realized at this location. This temporary nature will sooner or later make way for future developments. That this phenomenon is becoming increasingly popular is due to the Dutch state regulation ‘Temporary Nature’, which was implemented in 2015. Where previously owners of such areas were very reluctant because of the risk that future building plans could be blocked because of protected plant or animal species, they are now guaranteed free use of their land at locations this state regulation applies to. The terrain in Best is not only a rich biotope for plants and animals, but it is also good for the company. Dedicated employees helped sow the native flowers and plants that are attractive to butterflies. The Dwaaltuin (cottage garden), as the area is now being called, is a place they go to during their lunch breaks. Above all, the collaboration with the Vlinderstichting (Dutch Butterfly Conservation) has made the people working for the company aware of the power of nature and the biodiversity that can arise even in a short amount of time. This is important, because the biodiversity of butterflies has nearly been halved in Europe since 1990.

-Best (NL) 2015

-De Vlinderstichting, Philips, RoyalHaskoning-DHV