Dealing with dead wood in the Harz Mountains has recently caused a stir after forest fires. Saxony-Anhalt's Forest Minister Sven Schulze expressed doubts about a joint national park with Lower Saxony - he now rejects criticism of his course.
Magdeburg (dpa/sa) - In the debate about the consequences of the forest fires in the Harz Mountains, Saxony-Anhalt's Forest Minister Sven Schulze (CDU) has committed himself to the Harz National Park. "For me it's about - and I want to emphasize that - the preservation of the national park," said the minister on Wednesday in the state parliament of Saxony-Anhalt. Most recently, Schulze had expressed doubts about the model of a joint Harz National Park with the state of Lower Saxony. He was sharply criticized for this.
The Left Party attacked Schulze (CDU) again on Wednesday. It was frightening and incomprehensible that the minister questioned the common national park with Lower Saxony, said environmental politician Hendrik Lange. "He showed with this quick action that he has little idea about forestry, business and even tourism." An apology would be appropriate, the minister had started a pointless debate, said Lange.
Schulze said in September that if you couldn't find a common solution, you would have to fundamentally question the national park. According to Schulze, he doesn't want that. But the dead wood represents a "huge danger".
The forest minister defended his course on Wednesday. He is concerned with making the national park fit for the future. In principle, leaving nature to itself could be the right thing to do. But if people's lives are endangered, you have to react. He wants to check everything. "And I also looked: can the national park as a status be a problem for us to be able to implement the things that I want to implement?"
Solutions have now been found, said Schulze, referring to the "Wernigerode Declaration". It states that dead trees are to be removed, particularly around the town of Schierke at the foot of the Brocken. The Harz National Park also wants to create more firebreaks so that the fire brigade can reach fire sites better.
Schulze received support from the ranks of the black-red-yellow coalition. "There is nothing to complain about. Finally, action was taken," said Johannes Hauser (FDP). Olaf Feuerborn (CDU) praised the minister's "starter for the discussion". Elrid Pasbrig (SPD) described the "Wernigerode Declaration" as a constructive approach. Fire protection needs to be strengthened in certain areas.
The AfD targeted the Greens, who were responsible for forestry in the previous black-red-green government. For quite a few people, these are the "number one party for the destruction of forests"; MP Daniel Roi criticized that nothing had been done. He called for a reforestation program.
Wolfgang Aldag (Greens), on the other hand, praised the national park as a successful, transnational nature conservation project that should be protected. Schulze's statements would now be dismissed as "political banter", but they had led to uncertainty, he said.
