Despite being densely populated, North Holland protects vital natural landscapes, particularly its coastal defenses and wetlands.
* **Zuid-Kennemerland National Park**: Located near Haarlem and the coast, this park features rugged dunes, historic estates, and wildlife including European bison, Konik ponies, and Highland cattle. * **Dunes of Texel National Park**: Covering the western side of Texel island, it offers diverse landscapes of dunes, beaches, heathlands, and forests, heavily populated by seabirds. * **Naardermeer**: The oldest nature reserve in the Netherlands, this wetland area is a sanctuary for rare birds and aquatic wildlife. * **Amsterdamse Bos**: A massive, man-made forest park thrice the size of New York's Central Park, offering rowing courses, petting zoos, and dense woodland trails on the edge of Amsterdam.