Boermarken

A liveable countryside thanks to the Boermarken

The commons are back. Everywhere in the country, initiatives are emerging by people who try to realize communal ownership and management of land. Jan van der Struik (83) and Johan Moes (53) are surprised when they hear that, because in Drenthe the commons never left. There, the Boermarken have already existed for almost a thousand years: local collectives of farmers who jointly own land. There are still 88 active and have joined the Drentse Boermarken Association. Together they manage 200,000 hectares of land in Drenthe – making them the largest land managers in the province, according to Moes, the chairman of the association.

Forerunner of the municipality
“So people are inspired by what has been done here for centuries?” he asks in surprise. No, that’s not the case either, because many people do not know that these 'common lands' from the past still exist in the north of the country. Time for an introduction.

In the Middle Ages, there was a lot of land throughout the Netherlands that was not privately owned. There were heaths and grasslands around villages and towns where everyone could graze sheep and cows and gather wood. These were called the ‘marken’ or the 'meenten'. In order to keep the management of this land on the right track, the Boermarken were founded in Drenthe around 1200. “Farmers made agreements amongst themselves about the part of the heath that was grazed, so that other parts could grow again,” says Van der Struik, who has been active in the board of the association for 43 years. The Boermarke developed into a municipal government avant la lettre. “For example, it also arranged for lights to be lit in the evening so that it was less dangerous on the street.”

In fact, everything that is now managed by the government was previously arranged by the Boermarken, Moes adds. “In a case of emergency, the farmer’s horn was blown. If there was a fire, everyone came with a bucket of water.”

It was as such that with the creation of local and national governments, the function of the Boermarken changed. “The municipalities, and later also the water authority, took over more and more tasks from the Boermarken,” says Van der Struik. Yet the Boermarken in Drenthe are still very active.

Sharing machines and tools
With nature management, for example. From joint pruning days and clean-up actions to maintaining lakes and constructing sand roads. Van der Struik: “We have always been very active in biotope improvement and wildlife management. Planting groves and sowing bank corners, for example, to provide cover for wildlife.” The Boermarken also register bird nests in the meadows and protect fawns. “There are Boermarken who manage the entire rural area,” says Moes.

In addition to land, many Boermarken also jointly own machines and tools.

In addition to land, many Boermarken also jointly own machines and tools. “Some machines you only need once a year, so that saves a lot of money if you don't have to buy them. You can simply register online if you want to use it, and then you just return it correctly,” says Moes.

And there is the social aspect. Van der Struik: “The Boermarken are intimately involved with village events. If a kindergarten is needed in the village, the Boermarke will help financially. Or if the retirement home is in need of something extra. We help with the organization of the annual Farmer's Markets. And also the ice rink is often located on the land of the Boermarke.”

No permit required
In fact, the Boermarken are a kind of rural organization or village association, Moes explains. “We are always approachable and helping. In the village, many different things are managed in the background by the Boermarken. Also individually, then I get a call asking if I can clean up or transport something with my tractor. Alright, I’ll manage, then we do not need to discuss it later.”

Also the municipality knows where to find Boermarken for consultation and if something needs to be done. “Boermarken have recently started doing more verge maintenance. If the municipality does this themselves, they first have to go through a whole permittance process, so it saves everyone a lot of hassle if we do it. Hey, can you also include that piece when you mow, they ask.”

Pragmatic and apolitical
How do the Boermarken pay for their activities? Largely with the sale of hunting rights, says Van der Struik. “Hunting rights are divided per area. Individually, everyone's land is often too small, which is why all farmers transfer their rights to the Boermarke, which rents it out in its entirety to hunters.”

Hunting does not sit so well with the public opinion, both know. “But without hunting rights, the Boermarken would no longer exist,” says Van der Struik. “It has traditionally been the main source of income.” Moreover, hunting is an important form of wildlife management and serves to maintain a natural balance, Moes believes. As such it connects well to the goal of the Boermarken to manage their area in a responsible manner.

Moreover controversial are the Easter bonfires, a local tradition that has come under pressure in recent years due to environmental regulations. “The Boermarken are often closely involved in the Easter fires. But instead of abolishing them completely, we ensure that they happen in a responsible way. When collecting the wood, we ensure that no wood is mixed in that could cause a lot of smoke development,” says Moes.

According to them, this is precisely where the strength of the Boermarken lies: pragmatic, accessible, short communication lines and apolitical. “The Boermarke is never tied to a religion or political belief. What unites us is the village’s interests and our connection to the area. Whether people are politically left or right, it doesn't matter. We respect everyone,” says Van der Struik. “There are already enough action groups in the Netherlands.”

No people in civilian homes
How democratic are the Boermarken actually? Who makes the decisions? “It is arranged differently per Boermarke, but often it is the case that everyone who owns a piece of land is automatically ‘land owner’. Together they elect the proxies who constitute the daily management.” Moes is, in addition to the chairmanship of the overarching association, also one of the proxies of Boermarke Wapse. Van der Struik admits that he has never been a proxy, because he is not a farmer or landowner. “My involvement in the Boermarken arose from professional interest. I was working at an agricultural organization.”

This makes him an exception, because it is not the intention that people who live in 'citizen houses' join the conversation of the Boermarken, Moes warns. “And also Westerners who buy a piece of land here are not just part of it. You need to have a connection with the area.”

Stay in conversation with each other
Could the Boermarken also function in other places in the Netherlands, like it does in Drenthe? “No, I don't think so,” says Moes. “Here we are stubborn and we like to do the things ourselves. But we are also conservative in our traditions. That is what makes the Boermarken what they are. You cannot simply copy that to another region, nor its centuries-long history.”

Whether the Boermarken in Drenthe will continue to exist in the future, they do not dare to predict. “Due to scaling up, fewer and fewer farmers are left. A hundred years ago there were three Boermarken in my village, now there is only one left," says Moes. That certainly worries him.

On the other hand, the Boermarks have been around for so long that they will continue to reinvent themselves, Van der Struik hopes. “Boermarken are important for social cohesion in rural areas. They set things in motion, ensure improvements. It is a way of staying in conversation with each other. As long as we are able to achieve that, there is a future for the Boermarken. No matter how different people are, the area where they live keeps them together.”

Boermarken are important for social cohesion in rural areas. They set things in motion, ensure improvements.

Values and power of attorney
A Boermarke is within the category 'Other private-law legal entity', just like an almshouse, hamlet and guild. The Boermarken are organized differently. In some cases, every landowner within the ‘marke’-boundaries is automatically a participant, in other cases, ‘shares’ are issued based on the size of someone's land holdings. These shares give the right to participation and voting at the annual meetings. All residents of a Boermarke jointly elect the power of attorney for the formation of the board.
It does occur that the number of residents of a Boermarke has become too small to function properly. Principally, this Boermarke then merges with another Boermarke. If land is sold, it is up to the board to decide what happens to the proceeds. In practice, however, the land is never sold, Moes and Van der Struik emphasize. “Certainly when it comes to the land on which, for example, the ice rink is located, then no one has interest in selling it,” Moes explains.
All Boermarken are affiliated with the overarching Association of Drentse Boermarken and meet annually.

Boermarken website