Sufficient signatures for citizen initiatives regarding national parks

environment - Sufficient signatures for citizen initiatives regarding national parks

At the nearly failed search for a second National Park location in North Rhine-Westfalen, there is now another chance: In the Lower Rhine region, a citizen's initiative has collected sufficient signatures for a National Park in the Reichswald near Kleve - thereby clearly surpassing the required 10,600 signatures, according to a spokesperson. The Kreis Kleve is now checking the signature lists.

The black-green state government named six regions last year that could potentially be suitable for a National Park. However, all political bodies in these regions rejected the idea. Above all, CDU and FDP opposed a National Park in the Kreistag, while Greens and SPD were mostly in favor. In recent citizen votes in the districts of Paderborn and Höxter, a majority of people also voted against the establishment of a National Park in their region.

Kleve is the last remaining option

The last remaining option for Environment Minister Oliver Krischer (Greens), who is spearheading the project, is now the Reichswald in the Kreis Kleve. The Kreistag has already said no - but, following a successful citizen's initiative, the municipal parliament must still vote again on the issue. If the Kreistag then votes against the designation of a National Park once more, the residents of the district would have the final say in a citizen vote.

The number of collected signatures shows "how strongly citizens support the idea of a National Park in the Reichswald," said a spokesperson for the National Park Reichswald Initiative. "We hope now that the Kreistag, in light of this impressive citizen participation in the initiative, will reconsider its rejection of a application." The initiative plans to officially submit the signature lists to the district on the coming Monday.

So far, there is only one National Park in NRW

In a National Park, nature enjoys the greatest protection. So far, there is only one National Park in North Rhine-Westphalia, in the Eifel. However, to achieve biodiversity goals, NRW needs another area, argues Environment Minister Krischer. Almost every second species of animal, fungus, and plant in North Rhine-Westphalia is on the "Red List" - that is, threatened, endangered, or already extinct.

Critics, however, fear economic restrictions in the affected region. The state government emphasized that it would not impose a National Park on any region.

Nationalpark-Side NRW

1. The citizen's initiative in Kleve's Lower Rhine region has gathered more than the required signatures for proposing a National Park in the Reichswald.
2. The CDU and FDP, among other political bodies, opposed the establishment of a National Park in the Kreistag of the potential regions last year.
3. Kleve is currently the last remaining option for Environment Minister Oliver Krischer from the CDU-led government in North Rhine-Westphalia to establish a second National Park in the state.
4. The Kreistag has previously rejected the proposal for a National Park in the Reichswald, but due to the successful citizen's initiative, they must vote again on the issue.
5. If the Kreistag votes against the designation of a National Park once more, the residents will have the final say in a citizen vote.
6. The National Park Reichswald Initiative hopes that the Kreistag will reconsider its rejection of the application in light of the impressive citizen participation.
7. North Rhine-Westphalia currently has only one National Park, in the Eifel, and Environment Minister Krischer argues that another area is necessary to achieve biodiversity goals.

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