Hi! My name is Annemiek. 

I'm going to tell you about nature in the Netherlands. The Dutch countryside is very varied, even though this is a small country. We have woods, heathland, dunes and lots and lots of water. In the north there are many lakes where you can go sailing and windsurfing. In the west there are endless fields of beautiful flowers. In the south you’ll find hills and woodland.

There are many different animals in the Netherlands. The Oostvaardersplassen is a nature area in the province of Flevoland. The lakes there are a paradise for birds like geese, spoonbills and cormorants, which go there to breed.

Another place where you’ll find lots of animals is De Hoge Veluwe, a national park in the middle of the country. This is a nature area with woods and heathland. If you go for a walk there early in the morning, you’ll see wild boar, red deer, roe and foxes.

Along the coast there are dunes and wide, sandy beaches. The dunes are very varied. They’re not just mounds of sand – there are also woods, marshes and small lakes there.