About the park

Organisation

A history of idealism and vision

Known to few, De Hoge Veluwe National Park is a privately-owned land and an independent Foundation that can use government subsidies to only a limited extent.

The Park and its continued existence more or less depend on paying visitors. This page lists the main figures with regard to the Park and its organisation and how the Park continues to abide by the vision of the Kröller-Müller couple. 

The Foundation

Task

The task of the Foundation is to preserve the inheritance of the Kröller-Müller couple in the widest sense of the word.

Objectives

  • Conserve the Park as a natural monument
  • Offering space to visual arts and architecture, with the Foundation pursuing synergy between nature and culture
  • Recreation: allowing the visitors to enjoy nature and culture

All this is subject to a single condition: operations and management are autonomous and financially independent. 

The Park

Surface area

The Park comprises 5,400 hectares of woodland, heathland, drift sands and peat bogs and is entirely fenced off. The Park property also includes 400 hectares in the direct vicinity (including the Otterlose Bos). 

Wildlife population

The big game population (larger mammals) consists of:

  • 160 red game (deer)
  • 150 fawn game (roe)
  • 50 black game (wild boar)
  • 30 mouflons (Corsican sheep)

These figures are spring population figures. Later on in the year, the total big game population is about 35% higher in connection with newly born animals. 

Activities

  • Managing nature and landscapes in the broadest sense of the word, thus both flora and fauna
  • Receiving and informing guests at the three entrances
  • Organising the Visitor Centre and the corresponding Museonder with activities aimed at providing information and education
  • Managing Jachthuis Sint Hubertus
  • Managing a restaurant 
  • Maintenance and free distribution of 1.800 White Bikes, a trademark of the Park
  • Managing the infrastructure
  • Supervising the Park

De Hoge Veluwe National Park and the Kröller-Müller Museum work closely together. 

Finances

De Hoge Veluwe National Park is, in accordance with the wishes of the Kröller-Müllers, autonomous and largely financially independent. Revenues are mainly generated through paying visitors to the Park.

De Hoge Veluwe receives government subsidies to a limited extent only. Maintenance of Jachthuis Sint Hubertus is funded by the Government Buildings Agency. In order to achieve the objectives, the Foundation charges its visitors an entrance fee on the basis of the ‘user pays’ principle. As a result, visitors contribute to the sustained preservation of the Park.

The Foundation is a non-profit organisation. Any exploitation surpluses are invested in the Park. 

Management Team 

  • S.E. baron van Voorst tot Voorst (director)
  • A.J. Arntz (head of Hospitality & Retail)
  • A.P. Bruins MBA (Head of Staff Services / Deputy Director NPDHV)
  • mrs. M. M. Kokke MBA (Head of Visitor Management)
  • ing. J.R.K. Leidekker (Head of Operations)

Fundraising

  • mrs. M. Lambooij

Supervisory Board

  • mr. G.J. de Graaf (chairman)
  • drs. P. van Oord
  • prof. dr. P.H. van Tienderen
  • Generaal bd. P.J.M. van Uhm
  • mrs. G. Verburg
  • ir. A.R. Wynaendts

Advisory Board

  • ir. C.M. Jaski (chairman)
  • drs. H.J.J. Lenferink (Commissioner of the King in the Province of Gelderland)
  • drs. G.J. Buitendijk (Secretary General Ministry of General Affairs)
  • drs. J.C. Goet (Secretary-General of the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality)
  • O.O. Gorter (chairman of Equalization of Ground Owners Association)
  • A.J.M. Heerts (mayor of Apeldoorn)
  • mrs. LL.M.  L.J. van Hooff-Nusselder (director Royal Burgers' Zoo)
  • mevrouw ir. M. Kaper (Director People & Community) drs. P. Siewers (director intervention ANWB)
  • mr. C. Krijger (chairman of the Volunteers of De Hoge Veluwe Association)
  • A. Marcouch (mayor of Arnhem)
  • H.M. Meijdam (chairman Federation Private Landownership) 
  • mr. N.J.M. de Munnik (lawyer)
  • Mr. H. Floris van Oranje-Nassau (member of the Board of Management Kroondomein Het Loo)
  • Brigade-general F. Grandia (commander 11 Airmobile Brigade)
  • ir. S. Thijsen (Director Staatsbosbeheer)
  • L.J. Verhulst (mayor of Ede municipality)

Advisory Committee on Nature, Landscape and Cultural History

  • prof. dr. ir. W.H. van der Putten (chairman and Head of the Terrestrial Ecology Department of the Netherlands Institute of Ecology and professor of Functional Biodiversity, WUR)
  • drs. M. Huizinga (coordinator Flora workgroup)
  • dr. A.J.M. Jansen (expert in hydro-ecology)
  • prof. dr. ir. G.J. Nabuurs (professor European Forest Resources, WUR)
  • mrs N. de Vries (coordinator Fauna workgroup)
  • Prof. ir. M.F. Wallis de Vries (Emeritus professor in Insect Conservation Biology WUR, senior scientist Dutch Butterfly Conservation)

Advisory Committee on Recrection 

  • H. Verheijden (director Verheijden Concepten)
  • M.C.B. Schonenberg (director Beurs van Berlage)
  • D. van der Vossen (management advisor)
  • dr. B. Smit (Senior leisure economics advisor at Ginder)

Board Hoge Veluwe Fund

  • ir. P. van Riel (chairman)
  • A.M. Bakker
  • drs. J.J. Bosman
  • dr. S.R.A. van Eijck
  • mr. G.J. de Graaf
  • mrs. drs. J.H. van de Scheur-Baan
  • S.E. baron van Voorst tot Voorst
  • mrs. S.H.J.M Vossenaar

Loge Hoenderloo