Partners join forces to make Struikroven the norm in the Netherlands

On Wednesday 15 March, the Struikroven foundation signed a cooperation agreement with Heijmans, Vesteda, BAM Wonen, ERA Contour, Dura Vermeer and Urgenda. These strategic partners will help the foundation achieve its mission more quickly. Its mission? That saving plants and shrubs becomes a standard part of demolition, renovation and redevelopment projects in the Netherlands.

Collaboration
This strategic collaboration creates a coalition that is working hard to make the conservation and reuse of existing greenery the norm on construction sites. And it will help the foundation to continue to develop its activities and its organisation.

Co-founder Annelous Fleuren: “I am delighted that these leading players have now expressed their confidence in Struikroven. This coalition will help us to have a greater impact. You may be able to move quickly alone, but together you can get much more done and you can ultimately change a system.”

Before the signing of the agreement, the six partners expressed their wishes and ideas for the coming years. On top of their financial investment, they are looking to encourage each other to come up with new ideas, collaborative efforts and innovations.

Pieter Knauff: “Nature connects! Struikroven’s mission to deal with existing greenery in a circular way and promote social cohesion in the neighbourhood is a perfect fit with our mission to rent affordable, sustainable housing in a liveable and nature-inclusive living environment.”

Continued development
The foundation can now make major strides thanks to this support. For instance, an additional batch of ‘Struikrovers’ (literally shrub bandits) will be trained this year at the Struikroven Academy. In addition to this, the development of Rover Gardens (gardens for temporary greenery) is a step closer to reality. The foundation’s ultimate goal is to cooperate with eight parties and the national government.

About the Struikroven Foundation
Stichting Struikroven rescues existing greenery from front and back gardens and gives it a new lease of life in the area. It does this together with local residents, commissioned by housing corporations and investors, property developers or local authorities. The greenery is given a second life in the gardens of local residents, in public spaces or in a so-called Rover Garden, where any greenery saved is given a temporary home.