Natuurhistorisch Genootschap in Limburg

What Natuurhistorisch Genootschap in Limburg does

The Natuurhistorisch Genootschap in Limburg (NHGL), legally Koninklijk Natuurhistorisch Genootschap in Limburg, is a Dutch non-profit natural history society founded in 1912 and headquartered at Kapellerpoort 1 in Roermond, with secondary activity centered at the Natuurhistorisch Museum in Maastricht. Its functional mission is to study, document, and conserve the flora, fauna, geology, and landscape of the province of Limburg, an area the society highlights as exceptionally biodiverse due to its southern position, varied chalk/limestone geology, and location at the border of species distribution ranges. The society organizes this work through five regional kringen (Heerlen, Maastricht, Roermond, Venlo, Venray) and 15+ specialized study groups covering amphibians and reptiles, dragonflies, mollusks, mosses, fungi, plants, EPT taxa, subterranean limestone caves, fish, butterflies, birds, bugs, and mammals.

Its core outputs are publications and field-research programs rather than technology products. The flagship is the Natuurhistorisch Maandblad, a peer-reviewed monthly journal (circulation ~1,500, ISSN 0028-1107) in continuous publication since 1912, complemented by SOK-mededelingen (limestone cave research), the Natuurlijk Limburg illustrated book series launched in 2010, and themed member newsletters such as PSL Nieuws and SOK Info. Distribution is handled via the wholly-owned Stichting Natuurpublicaties Limburg and the publicaties.nhgl.nl web shop. NHGL itself holds no proprietary technology stack beyond a content website (nhgl.nl), the publication shop, and a Facebook presence; all field-research and editorial work is executed primarily by volunteers with a thin professional core (editor-in-chief, two SOK editors, graphic and technical designers, and office staff).

Revenue comes from three streams: recurring annual membership subscriptions that bundle the Maandblad, one-time publication sales through the publicatiebureau and web shop, and structural sponsorship from Provincie Limburg under the society's ANBI (Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling) status, which confers Dutch public-benefit organization recognition and tax-deductible donation eligibility. Four wholly-owned satellite foundations (Stichting Natuurpublicaties Limburg, Stichting de Lierelei, Stichting Ir. D.C. van Schaik, and Stichting NatuurBank Limburg) ring-fence publishing, cultural, scholarship, and nature-data activities. Governance rests with an elected board (bestuur), and the society maintains recurring cross-border engagement via the Euregionale Botanische Bijeenkomst with Belgian and German partners.

Name

Natuurhistorisch Genootschap in Limburg

Legal name

Koninklijk Natuurhistorisch Genootschap in Limburg

Website

https://nhgl.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1912

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Natuurhistorisch Genootschap in Limburg is a Dutch non-profit natural history society founded in 1912 that studies, documents, and conserves the flora, fauna, and geology of Limburg province. It serves 1,000+ members through 5 regional chapters and 15+ study groups, funded by subscriptions, publication sales, and provincial sponsorship.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Natural History Society Publications

NAICS

Book Publishers (513130), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721), Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Interdisciplinary & Multidisciplinary Scholarly Publishing (EDAGAFAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Scholarly Societies & Conference Proceedings Publishing (MPAJABAK), Academic & Scholarly Journals Publishing (Peer-Reviewed) (MPAJABAC)

Keywords

• Natural history society
• Citizen science research
• Scientific publications
• Regional biodiversity
• Nature education

Headquarters

HQ city

Roermond

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: Annual membership fees that include access to the monthly Natuurhistorisch Maandblad and other member benefits.
2. Publication sales: Sale of books, guides, and other publications through the publicatiebureau (publication bureau) and web shop.
3. Government funding: Structureel gesponsord by Provincie Limburg as an ANBI (Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling) organization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The society provides membership-based access to scientific publications (monthly Natuurhistorisch Maandblad, SOK-mededelingen, Natuurlijk Limburg book series) and organizes citizen-science field research via regional kringen and 15+ species-specific study groups. It sells publications through an online web shop and supports regional natural-history research and conservation in the Dutch province of Limburg.

Product overview

Natuurhistorisch Genootschap in Limburg operates as a natural history society offering a portfolio of publications and online services. The core products include the Natuurhistorisch Maandblad (monthly scientific journal since 1912), SOK-mededelingen (limestone cave research journal), and the Natuurlijk Limburg book series describing nature across Limburg regions. The society maintains the nhgl.nl website for member services and the publicaties.nhgl.nl web shop for selling publications including books, DVDs, and themed journals covering flora, fauna, geology, paleontology, and cultural history of Limburg. Member-exclusive publications include PSL Nieuws (mushroom research), SOK Info (cave research), and the Amfibieën en Reptielen Krantje (herpetology).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Natuurhistorisch Maandblad Monthly scientific journal (ISSN 0028-1107) featuring articles on the flora, fauna, geology, and landscape of the Dutch province of Limburg. Circulation 1,500 copies, published monthly except July/August. Included with annual society membership.
• SOK-mededelingen Specialist journal covering historical, mining, and biological research on the underground limestone quarries of Limburg. Published 2-3 times per year; available via the Publicatiebureau.
• Natuurlijk Limburg Book Series Series of accessible, richly illustrated books describing nature in different regions of Limburg, including geological and cultural-historical background, descriptions of nature areas with flora and fauna, and walking routes. Sold via the Publicatiebureau web shop.
• Publicatiebureau Web Shop Online web shop for publications and materials issued by the society, including books, journals, and DVDs about Limburg's nature, flora, fauna, geology, paleontology, and cultural history.
• Annual Membership Subscription Annual membership subscription that includes the monthly Natuurhistorisch Maandblad, member discounts on publications, and access to study groups and regional kringen activities. More than 1,000 paying members as of latest data.

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Stichting Natuurpublicaties LimburgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe foundation responsible for publishing the society's books and materials. Produces the 'Natuurlijk Limburg' series and other publications under the society's direction.
• Natuurhistorisch Museum MaastrichtmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe museum, which originated from the society's collections in 1912, serves as an important meeting place for society members and hosts many activities.
• IVN KerkrademinorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-publishing partner for the 'Natuurlijk Kerkrade' publication.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• BLWG (Bryologische en Lichenologische Werkgroep): Dutch bryology and lichenology working group publishing specialist journals and coordinating recording schemes. Comparable niche scholarly-society model; partially overlaps with NHGL's mossenstudiegroep and broader citizen-science publishing activity.
• Stichting Observation International / Observation.org: Dutch-founded citizen-science platform powering biodiversity observations across Europe, including Limburg. Emerging digital competitor for volunteer engagement, complementing rather than directly replacing NHGL's regional publication model.
• Vogelbescherming Nederland: Dutch bird protection society with a member base, publications (e.g., Vogelnieuws), and study-group-like local activities. Comparable on the ornithology vertical specifically (overlaps with NHGL's Vogelstudiegroep), though narrower in taxonomic scope.
• EIS Kenniscentrum Insecten: Dutch knowledge center for insects that coordinates recording schemes and publishes with study groups. Partial overlap with NHGL's invertebrate study groups (libellen, vlinders, wantsen, sprinkhanen) as a specialized publishing/research partner.

Broad incumbents

• NABU (Naturschutzbund Deutschland): Germany's largest nature and biodiversity association with member chapters, publications, and citizen-science programs. Directly analogous membership-society model and overlapping cross-border Euregional botanical activities around Limburg.
• Natuurmonumenten: Largest Dutch nature conservation organization managing nature reserves and engaging members and volunteers. Comparable member-based non-profit model with strong Limburg presence, but broader conservation/land-management mandate rather than scholarly publishing focus.

Regional players

• Stichting Het Limburgs Landschap: Provincial nature and landscape foundation serving the same Limburg region as NHGL. Highly comparable regional focus and member/volunteer model, but emphasizes land management and reserve ownership rather than scholarly publication and field research.
• Natuurpunt: Largest Belgian nature conservation organization with member-driven regional chapters, study groups, and publications. Comparable citizen-science and membership model; overlaps via NHGL's cross-border botanical cooperation with Belgian partners.

Direct peers

• IVN (Instituut voor Natuureducatie en Duurzaamheid): Dutch institute for nature education and sustainability with member-based local chapters running excursions, lectures, and citizen-science activities. Directly comparable community-led natural-history membership model, also ANBI-status, overlapping volunteer audience.
• KNNV (Koninklijke Nederlandse Natuurhistorische Vereniging): Royal Dutch Natural History Society, the national-level counterpart to NHGL. KNNV operates similar study groups, regional chapters, and publishes the journal Natura and the journal Entomologische Berichten; it competes for the same Dutch amateur and professional naturalist pool.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Natuurhistorisch.Genootschap.in.Limburg

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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