For the ten year anniversary of the Lower Oder Valley National Park
The Ministry of Agriculture responsible for the national park will celebrate the 10th birthday of the only Brandenburg national park, Lower Oder Valley, on September 8, 2005. We celebrate with. First of all, the 10th anniversary is a cause for joy and confidence. Perhaps in 50 years’ time the Lower Oder Valley National Park will be one of the few projects that will still herald the work of the current Prime Minister, Platzeck.
Nevertheless, it should not be left unmentioned that the state of Brandenburg has not even come close to achieving the goals that are essentially associated with a national park in the last 10 years. This concerns above all the still outstanding designation of 50 percent of the area as wilderness area and the requirement of a support program based on the specific nature conservation goals for the farmers in Zone II on the remaining 50 percent. Performance for consideration, both belong together. So much remains to be done.
Instead, some members of the state parliament are still planning to weaken the Brandenburg National Park Act, which is already quite insubstantial. Without international recognition in accordance with IUCN Category II, the national park becomes a fraudulent label, and Brandenburg exposes itself to be ridiculous. So if there is a need for amendment, then the National Park Act should be improved, not worsened. Since there is a lack of political will and perhaps also the corresponding assertiveness for an improvement, the motto today is: Hands off the National Park Act, otherwise the event planned by the Ministry of Agriculture as a birthday party for the National Park could ultimately turn out to be a funeral ceremony.
The Association of Friends of the German-Polish European National Park Unteres Odertal e. In any case, V. will continue to exercise its guardianship for the protection of nature and thus for the benefit of people, also in the next 10 years.
Thomas Berg
CEO
