WELCOME

ING has the ambition to strengthen biodiversity in the outdoor areas surrounding its own buildings. This is driven by the urgency and awareness that the restoration of biodiversity in the Netherlands is crucial for both its employees and customers.

In the Netherlands, it is estimated that only 15% of the original biodiversity remains. A significant portion of the country, 13%, is built-up. This presents many opportunities for enhancing biodiversity.

Therefore, we have worked hard in recent years to transform some of the gardens surrounding ING buildings. This includes ING HBP, Wilgenplas in Rotterdam, and ING Cedar in Amsterdam.

We have not only done this to make them more attractive for humans...but also for nature! And this is clearly visible outside. There are many more flowering plants and trees, and elements such as floating eco-islands (ING Wilgenplas) and ponds (ING Cedar) have been added. We have introduced bee hotels, wildlife boxes, brushwood piles, and flower meadows. A complete transformation.

OUR TREES 

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO DIFFERENTLY?

Dark Group introduces a new type of management, namely NATURAL MANAGEMENT. This new type of management is focused on providing shelter for the highest possible diversity of plant, animal, and insect species.

By taking nature as the starting point for management, space is given for natural cycles, such as those of life and death. With the redesign of the garden, a lot of space and potential is created for nature development and thus an increase in biodiversity.

The following principles form the basis of NATURAL MANAGEMENT:

• Biodiversity, natural potential, and processes are guiding for the layout and management.
• The species composition is tailored to the natural potential.
• The manager intervenes with an eye on optimal development and co-use. Harvesting takes place from the terrain, waste does not exist.