Pieter Gerbrand van Tienhoven

Pieter Gerbrand van Tienhoven (1875-1953), lawyer and naturalist, is the founder of the international nature conservation movement in the Netherlands. In 1925 he founded the Netherlands Commission for International Nature Protection, the predecessor of IUCN Netherlands Committee. In 1930 he founded the Foundation for International Nature Protection, currently called the Van Tienhoven Foundation.

Inspired by his teacher and amateur biologist Jac.P. Thijsse, Van Tienhoven became a member of the board of the Society for the Conservation of Nature Reserves in the Netherlands. Due to his courage and tenacity this society obtained many nature reserves in the Netherlands. For many years Van Tienhoven was the Vice Chairman of the Dutch Society for the Protection of Birds. Van Tienhoven was involved in the foundation of the County Councils and other regional organisations for the protection of nature in the Netherlands.

Van Tienhoven attached great importance to the protection of large animals. His concern for their survival played a role in 1925 when founding the Netherlands Commission for International Nature Protection. The members of this commission were influential scientists, politicians, travellers and businessmen. Van Tienhoven tried to establish national non-governmental committees of a semi-official nature and consisting of locally influential people, because these – in his opinion – were better prepared for action than governmental bodies. He believed the national committees in different countries should work together internationally. The Netherlands Commission for International Nature Protection had an important task in gathering data on endangered species and transmitting such data to conservation organisations in other countries. The Commission drew the attention of the Dutch government to abuses and urged them to take measures to combat these. Van Tienhoven had close contacts with members of parliament and ministers of the crown; he used his contacts to lobby for international conservation.

Van Tienhoven died in 1953 and his ash remains were scattered on the former family estate ‘Kampina’. In his will he bequeathed the major part of his estate to the Society for the Conservation of Nature Reserves in the Netherlands and the Foundation for International Nature Protection currently called the Van Tienhoven Foundation.

Statement Van Tienhoven Foundation Board

Pieter Gerbrand van Tienhoven was one of the most influential people for nature conservation in the Netherlands in the first half of the 20th century. He was the founder of Dutch nature conservation organisation Natuurmonumenten and in his will he bequeathed a large part of his estate to the Foundation for International Nature Protection, currently called the Van Tienhoven Foundation.

In March 2024 the biography ‘Rentmeester van Nature’ was published, written by naturalist and former chairman of the Van Tienhoven Foundation, Frank Saris. The biography offers a lot of new information about the history of nature conservation in the Netherlands but also raises questions about the attitude of Pieter van Tienhoven in his role as chairman of Natuurmonumenten during WW II. Specific attention is given to the attitude of Mr van Tienhoven towards the German occupiers as well as towards a Jewish board member of Natuurmonumenten.

This information has led Natuurmonumenten to conclude that a more detailed study is needed to investigate the actions of the board of Natuurmonumenten before and during WWII. For this purpose, a research assignment has been given to NIOD, the independent institute that conducts research into war situations, specifically World War II. The current Board of the Van Tienhoven Foundation strongly supports the decision of Natuurmonumenten to further investigate this and we will carefully take note of the results at the time of publication. Further updates will be shared on this website.

Photo credits: Atelier J. Merkelbach/Stadsarchief Amsterdam (010164027999)