Greens demand better protection for urban forests

The Greens in the Saxon state parliament are pushing for better protection for urban forests in the Free State and are therefore calling for a reform of the Forest Act. "The urban forest in Saxony is largely unprotected and will probably remain so," explained the parliamentary group in response to a minor question in the state parliament. Only recently, the 1.2-hectare "Wald am Holunderwäldchen" forest in Dresden's Albertstadt district was completely cleared.

Government has no plans to amend the Forest Act

The Greens point out that according to the Saxon Forest Act, permits for logging are only required for areas of two hectares or more. "Instead of targeted reforestation, we are seeing the spread of invasive species in many places. Nevertheless, the state government is not planning to amend the Forest Act in Bavaria," it said. This was stated by the Ministry of the Environment and Agriculture, which is responsible for forestry, in its response to the minor interpellation.

Greens: Urban forest particularly important in times of climate change

"It is frightening how vehemently the Saxon Ministry of the Environment is refusing to react to the dramatic climate changes. Every hectare of forest is more important than ever. Forests help in cities in particular, because they cool overheated neighborhoods, store water, sequester carbon and are the only freely accessible nature in their living environment for many people," said MP Wolfram Günther, who was also responsible for forestry as a minister in the last legislative period.

Günther took a direct approach to his successor Georg-Ludwig von Breitenbuch (CDU). "The inactivity of the environment minister is a political indictment. The Saxon Forest Act needs a modern update: forests in densely populated areas need special protection." Binding approval requirements for forest areas of all sizes in urban areas are needed, as well as clear rules for reforestation and the management of invasive species. "Forest in the city is not a building stock, but part of public services."