The IJsselmeer Polders Development Authority : a profile

The IJsselmeer Polders Development Authority was established in 1930 to plan, manage, and supervise the development of the polders reclaimed as part of the Zuyder Zee Project in the Netherlands. This vast project was designed to prevent flooding of low-lying areas by closing off the Zuyder Zee from the North Sea and to reclaim the fertile areas in the south as polders to expand the area of agricultural land. The project, which was authorized in 1918, has extended over 60 years and included more than 165000 ha on four polders. Over the years the task has evolved from land reclamation, primarily for agriculture, to the integrated development of agriculture, urban settlement, forests, recreation facilities and nature reserves. This experience has given the IJsselmeer Polders Development Authority a world-wide reputation in polder development. The Authority has an annual budget of approximately US $ 125 milion. Since its inception, the Authority, on behalf of the Netherlands Government, has invested more than US $ 750 milion in this extensive polder development project.