Council of States wants easing of restrictions on compensation for deforestation
Published: Tuesday, Dec 3rd 2024, 13:50
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The Council of States has decided that in more cases it should no longer be mandatory to replant uprooted trees elsewhere. It adopted a motion to this effect on Tuesday.
The small chamber approved the motion by Benedikt Würth, a member of the St.Gallen Council of States, by 30 votes to 13 with one abstention. The Federal Council agreed with the motion. It will now go to the National Council.
Würth explained that the forest is no longer under threat in terms of area, but is growing. During the debate, he explained that even today, real replacement is not always possible and can be partly replaced by revaluation measures. His aim was to strengthen this instrument.
Würth went on to argue that the new regulation would protect existing cultivated land in particular. However, the authorities would continue to examine the real replacement and the waiver of this would have to be justified in clearing applications.
Specifically, Würth proposes that at least half of the deforestation can now be replaced by measures to improve the existing forest area. Temporary clearances would be excluded. In this case, reforestation should continue to take place on site.
Maya Graf (Greens/BL) opposed the proposal without success. She referred to the criticism from forestry associations. She argued that the current law already guaranteed the required flexibility, which was also the view of the cantons. Graf also argued that it was important to preserve forests, especially in the vicinity of settlements.
Environment Minister Albert Rösti, on the other hand, was of the opinion that exceptions are only possible to a very limited extent today. It is worth examining "a certain minimal degree of flexibility".
©Keystone/SDA
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