Nature is not free. A park such as ours demands active management and maintenance, which costs money. De Hoge Veluwe operates as an independent foundation. Government subsidies cover only ten per cent of our operating costs. We must raise the remainder ourselves, and one way in which we do so is by charging an entrance fee.
As a visitor, you are therefore making a direct contribution to the conservation of the historic Veluwe landscape and its unique biodiversity.
There are other parks and nature areas in the Netherlands that do not charge an entrance fee. This does not mean that they are ‘free’. They are owned and managed by organizations which rely heavily or even exclusively on government funding. Their income is raised through taxation, which means that everyone contributes to their upkeep, albeit indirectly.
As a visitor to our Park, you use its infrastructure and services: roads and footpaths, the White Bikes, the information centre and the Museonder natural history museum, for example. You can also visit the Park Restaurant and the teahouse alongside the Sint Hubertus Jachthuis (Hunting Lodge).