– If I had been Minister for the Environment or Minister for Municipalities today, I would not have sat calmly in my chair, says parliamentary representative Une Bastholm (MDG). Earlier in June, news told the story of the planned commercial area Viken Park. The project will be one of the largest nature interventions in Norway, if it is adopted by the politicians in Fredrikstad in the autumn. This is the case The business area at Tofteberg in Fredrikstad will become one of Norway’s biggest natural interventions, if it becomes a reality. The nature in the area was never mapped before an area equivalent to 250 football pitches was set aside for commercial land, news’s investigations show. In the area there are great natural values, old pine forest, red-listed species, protected cultural monuments and large amounts of agricultural land. According to the plan, commercial buildings are to be sunk into the landscape, and occupy around a third of the area. Several local politicians believe they were not sufficiently informed before they agreed to the project. news has also found several ties in the planning work. Those involved believe the bonds are unproblematic. The politicians in Fredrikstad will make a final decision on the plan after the summer. In this last round, a comprehensive survey of nature has been carried out. The administration in the municipality believes that the matter has been handled in the correct way. There are great natural values in the forest. Both red-listed mushroom species, old-growth forest and wildlife. The development will have major consequences for nature in the area. This part of the forest is very old. When news was in the area with biologist Ola Martin Wergeland Krogh, he investigated the age of several of the trees. One was over 230 years old. Game and a number of bird species have been registered in the planning area. There is also planted forest in the planning area. Heidi Oskarsen and Ola Wergeland Krogh measure a hollow oak within the planning area. Hollow spokes have a special protection. Bastholm believes the politicians’ mindset must change to prevent the piece-by-piece destruction of Norwegian nature. – The government has to deal with the system, and lay down clearer state guidelines for the municipalities, so that it will not be so easy to destroy nature. – They must also place higher demands on the knowledge of local politicians early in the process, so that they actually receive information about natural values. – The tools are not good enough – This shows that we need to take some measures in the way we work with our nature policy, says Climate and Environment Minister Andreas Bjelland Eriksen (Ap) to news. The government is now working on an action plan for nature. They also believe there is a need to put in place a separate nature account. In January, news was able to reveal that 44,000 interventions have been committed in Norwegian nature in the last five years. The nature account the government envisages should make it easier for local politicians to make well-informed decisions. – The tools are not good enough today, says the Minister for the Environment. Climate and Environment Minister Andreas Bjelland Eriksen (Ap). Photo: William Jobling / news Will scrap the project Last week, former climate and environment minister Ola Elvestuen (V) told news that he believes the entire Viken Park project must be stopped. Experts have called the process “absurd” and “one of the most glaring cases” they have seen. Questions have also been asked about the validity of the municipality’s previous decision. Several local politicians have also admitted that they did not know what they agreed to. At one point, some of them had to read through almost 3,000 pages of case papers in just under a week. Group leader for Rødt in Fredrikstad Hannah Berg no longer believes that the party will stand behind the area regulation. – Not an old-fashioned industrial area The political majority, led by the Labor Party and the Conservative Party, still have plans to realize the development project. – This is not an old-fashioned industrial area, this is part of the green shift. It has been desired by both the county council and neighboring municipalities, as we have understood it, Høyre’s group leader Anne Lisbeth Undahl previously told news. The administration in the municipality is responsible for informing cases before they come to political consideration. They believe this matter has been handled in the right way, and see no reason to be self-critical. Published 19.06.2024, at 17.49
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MDG critical of decommissioning plans in Fredrikstad – news Østfold – Local news, TV and radio
