Keep 5% of Slovakia as a Wilderness
We must keep at least 5% of Slovakia without human intervention.
This is one of the 10 statements, explaining why the new initiative We Are Forest was founded. “We are Forest” focuses on the protection of forests in Slovakia. After Germany, Austria and Czech now also Slovakia demands that Wilderness needs more space!
We are people who care to stop the devastation of national parks and precious forests in Slovakia. We are horrified by the scale of harvesting of these forests in the last years. We are concerned about the approach of state authorities who support to protect this forest. We are people who love forest and want to protect it for future generations as well.
We Are Forest
Please also read: Slovakian forests under threat; That is enough!
Pressure on last Slovakian wild
This is an introduction of the call to protect not only the Slovakian forest, but also the Slovakian Wilderness! The main argument is that Slovakia is a wonderful country due to the forests and beautiful nature. This initiative supports the initiative to stop logging in protected areas. For this, they encourage to protect at least 5% of Slovakia without any human intervention as Wilderness.
Behind this initiate is a group of people cooperating already several years with European Wilderness Society, like Erik Bala Baláž or Karol Kaliský and few others. The harvesting of wood in these Slovakian areas is very concerning to them. The approach of the state authorities is insufficient. These people love forests and Wilderness and want to protect it for future generations.
This initiative was founded for very simple and straight forward reasons, because:
- just in the Low Tatras National Park since 2004 more than 70 km2 of old growth forests disappeared…
- logging in this park is still continuing
- natural forests are the homeland of wildlife and its disappearance threatens many species
- in a case of capercaillie (symbol of old growth forest) the population decreased by 40% in the last 10 years
- satellite images show that in Slovakia 700 km2 of forests disappeared and this is also increasing the number and scale of the floods and soil erosion
- timber extraction in forests of the Slovak Republic has a long-term trend. Since 1990, the logging volume has grown steadily by 75.3%
The call is an international initiative encouraging people all over Europe and the world to be aware what is happening in Slovakia. But also to motivate the public to actively stop the logging and protect the Slovakian forests and Wilderness.
The European Wilderness Society supports this initiative! We know several individuals behind this initiative like Erik Balaz or Karol Kalisky already for many years and they have our full respect and support.
Max A E Rossberg, Chairman of European Wilderness Society
