Samenvatting

Community-based nature management is becoming more common around the world. Non-governmental nature organisations in the Netherlands, such as Natuurmonumenten, are responding to this trend by setting up communities. Since Natuurmonumenten has limited experience in this respect, this study aimed to provide insight in the processes and effects of the set-up of a nature community around two newly acquired nature areas in Delfzijl. The processes of the set-up of this community were studied by observing the community group and the Natuurmonumenten delegates, and by subjecting the delegates of Natuurmonumenten to a questionnaire. Further insights were gained by measuring the effects of the processes of the set-up of the community using a pre- and post-test among the community group and a control group. The observations indicated that the Natuurmonumenten delegates were very dedicated during the set-up of this community, while the community group was hesitant and somewhat non-active during most part of the set-up. A significant increase in the scores given in the questionnaires, measuring the effects of the process, was found after the set-up of the community in both the community group and the control group. This indicates that factors other than the set-up processes may have caused the significant increase. Even though a basis for a community was formed at the end of this study, it is advisable Natuurmonumenten tries to enhance community building processes during the set-up of similar communities in the future.