Vegetation management means removing species where necessary to create space for other species or to ensure greater diversity in the vegetation. Part of this management is carried out naturally by the park's grazers, such as deer, roe deer, and wild boar.
Mouflon
The current excess nitrogen allows Scots pine to thrive. Previously, mouflons grazed these areas. The arrival of the wolf has killed almost all the mouflons in the park. As a result, the open spaces once grazed by the mouflons are becoming overgrown more quickly. Open heathland and drifting sand areas are therefore under pressure.
Pine Shearers
Since the 1970s, the pine shearers of the Hoge Veluwe Volunteer Association have been actively removing pine trees from open areas to prevent overgrowth. If they don't, the heathland quickly becomes overgrown, resulting in the disappearance of the heathlands and drifting sands, replaced by relatively monotonous pine forests. Monotonous means with few different species of flora and fauna.
Other Measures
Furthermore, since the late 1970s, sod cutting has been carried out on the heathlands in the Park to prevent grassland encroachment (the overgrowth of heathland by grass species). Mowing and burning are also carried out.