protective measures - 1,000 hectares in Daubaner Wald should become wilderness
A surface of 1,000 hectares is to be left in the Dauban Forest to nature in Dauban, as agreed upon by Saxony's Environment Minister Wolfram Günther (Greens) and the General Secretary of the German Federal Foundation for the Environment (DBU), Alexander Bonde, in the presence of Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke (also Greens), as the Ministry for Energy, Climate, Environment and Agriculture announced.
"Here in the Dauban Forest, successful natural climate protection is shown: Natural forest development, the rewetting of moors or the designation of wilderness areas are important goals," Steffi Lemke was quoted as saying.
Approximately 3,300 hectares of the Dauban Forest belong to the National Natural Heritage, which is managed by the DBU. Since its takeover in 2008 by the DBU, the former NVA training ground has been dedicated to nature protection.
Habitat for rare and endangered animal species
According to the Saxon Climate Protection Ministry, the areas in this region are to receive more water, vegetation is to change, and much space and habitat for rare and endangered animal species is to emerge. "But we still have a long way to go before we can then allow natural forest sections to fend for themselves," Bonde was quoted as saying.
Minister Günther commented on the plans: "We need large forest areas that can develop undisturbed in the long term to preserve biodiversity and keep water in the landscape." The conifer forests in Upper Lusatia are often species-poor and suffer from drought. Therefore, it is so important to create wilderness areas step by step. "This also includes that the water in the area remains and helps prevent forest fires," Günther further stated.
Steffi Lemke, the Federal Environment Minister from the Greens, celebrated the natural climate protection efforts in the Dauban Forest, highlighting the importance of wilderness areas and natural forest development. The German Federal Environmental Foundation, led by Alexander Bonde, has played a significant role in managing the National Natural Heritage within the Dauban Forest, which covers approximately 3,300 hectares. Bonde emphasized that while progress has been made, there is still a long way to go before allowing natural forest sections to thrive on their own, as these sections will serve as crucial habitats for rare and endangered animal species. Wolfram Günther, Saxony's Environment Minister, agreed, emphasizing the need for large undisturbed forest areas to preserve biodiversity and prevent forest fires, particularly in species-poor conifer forests like those found in Upper Lusatia.
