news has previously written about the wood company Arbor in Hattfjelldal which is surrounded by forests they are not allowed to use. The reason was the protection of forest areas. The Norwegian Environment Agency is now proposing the protection of a further 19 new areas on Helgeland. – It is very species-rich forests that are now proposed for protection, the Norwegian Environment Agency writes on its own website. There will be talk of protection of approximately 49.8 square kilometers. Of this, just over half is productive forest. Mayor of Hattfjelldal, Harald Lie (SP), is very critical of the new proposal. He thinks it is devastating for the local business community. – The protection will have a great impact on the municipality, says mayor of Hattfjelldal, Harald Lie. Photo: Private Little values left for the local population In particular, he points to the chip producer Arbor, which makes a living from utilizing the forest in the immediate area. – All areas that have been proposed for protection have been used for forestry, even though the species worthy of protection are still found in the areas, he says. When such forest areas are protected by the state, it becomes more difficult to run a business in Nordland, according to the mayor. Several of the 19 areas that have been proposed for protection are located in Hattfjelldal municipality in Nordland. Creates uncertainty He believes the proposal will hamper the international competitive opportunities of the local cornerstone company. The values thus do not go to the local population, but to the state treasury. According to the mayor, it should be possible to protect areas, but still utilize the resources. – It is important to create trust in the entire protection system. – If it is protected privately, it will still be in the hands of the landowner and the local population, the mayor says. – In addition, more and more uncertainty is created in the company’s sustainability when more and more areas are protected without any form of compensation. Hattfjelldal has been operating with wood since the 19th century, but more and more forest protection is creating problems for the cornerstone company Arbor. Photo: Anders Haualand / news Wants impact assessment The Center Party mayor believes that an impact assessment is necessary before further protection of areas on Helgeland. – It has been tipped over a limit and there should have been an impact assessment before further protection. – It is a pity that the Norwegian Environment Agency does not pay more attention to the elected representatives, says Lie. He believes that interest organizations such as the Norwegian Society for Nature Conservation are overemphasized in such cases. Nonsense Truls Gulowsen is the leader of the Nature Conservation Association and strongly disagrees with Lie’s statements. Truls Gulowsen, leader of the Nature Conservation Association, believes several areas that should have been protected Photo: Marte Iren Noreng Trøen – It is just nonsense that this will prevent business and settlement in Helgeland. This is a tiny area. – We need more protection, not less, says the leader. He believes there are still good opportunities for forestry near Arbor and Hattfjelldal. – These areas have not been felled before and there are therefore great environmental qualities, he says. Therefore, precisely these areas are worthy of protection. Reduced proposal The Norwegian Environment Agency would actually propose to protect 29 areas, but this was thus reduced by ten. This has been done mainly to safeguard societal interests, the Norwegian Environment Agency writes. – Arbor and Hattfjelldal have already reduced the proposal sharply. I hope they stop complaining about the measure that is on the state’s table, says the leader of the Nature Conservation Association. Nordland is one of the counties with the most protected areas. According to Gulowsen, it has nothing to say. – Nordland is perhaps the most protected county, but it is also sparsely populated. This means that fortunately there are good opportunities to protect several areas, he says. Protected areas in Nordland In Nordland county, it is per. January 2022 a total of 251 protected areas. The protected areas are divided into 9 national parks, 5 marine protected areas, 200 nature reserves, 20 landscape conservation areas (13 with species protection), 6 pure species protection areas and 11 natural monuments. Protected areas are not the problem According to Gulowsen, it is a misconception that protection leads to nutritional problems. What leads to nutritional problems is unsustainable operations. – Hattfjelldal and Arbor must start to take sustainability seriously and stop whining. Gulowsen also states that the areas in the current protection publisher are areas that will not be cut down, as it is too steep. – It is still good that they are protected.
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The Norwegian Environment Agency proposes protection of 19 areas on Helgeland. The mayor of Hattfjelldal protests – news Nordland
