Proceedings against “illegal” deforestation – salzburg.ORF.at
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Criticism of possibly partly illegal clearing at the foot of the Rainberg is now from officials in the nature conservation department of the Salzburg magistrate. You have initiated a corresponding procedure.
If chainsaws are in use at the weekend and at the edge of a nature reserve, the question arises as to whether nature conservation was consulted beforehand. On February 19, attentive Radio Salzburg listeners in the city of Salzburg noticed forestry work at the foot of the Rainberg.
Officials from the nature conservation department of the magistrate have now raised that part of the clearing was illegal here and initiated a corresponding procedure. At the foot of the Rainberg near the former Caveclub on Leopoldskronstraße, forest workers felled a total of 29 trees on February 19. Some of them are affected by ash dieback and may also fall on the edge of this nature reserve.
“Trees need to be planted”
However, this does not affect all trees by far, emphasizes the office manager of the responsible Deputy Mayor Barbara Unterkofler (ÖVP), Alexander Reich. “Unfortunately, it then had to be established that at least part of this tree clearing was illegal. But there will now be a restoration procedure and new trees will be planted for the illegally felled trees,” says Reich.
“In any case, it must be a valuable replanting, and it is also recorded exactly which tree species was felled. And exactly this tree species has to be planted again. And then it WILL also be determined that this tree at a height of one meter must have a trunk circumference of at least 30 to 35 centimeters. You can’t just plant a small seedling there,” emphasizes Reich.
Administrative penal proceedings against landowners
Administrative penal proceedings were also initiated against the private landowner. The tree protection ordinance of the state capital provides for penalties of up to 14,600 euros for illegal clearing.