To protect the forest

Billionaire hunting: Kufstein wants to shoot even more

The idyllic Kaisertal.

(Bild: zVG)

The Tyrolean town of Kufstein is planning to manage hunting in the Kaisertal nature reserve itself in future. The game population is to be massively decimated through the sale of hunting permits. But there is resistance! 

Selling hunting permits and letting the hunting ground be shot empty - that is the plan of the town leadership in Kufstein, to put it bluntly, to get the damage in the young forest under control. In the long term, forest damage also endangers Kufstein's drinking water, which will only be awarded the "blue drop" in 2023, making it one of the best waters in Austria.

Young forest obviously not coming up
Large game population, large forest damage: However, this calculation does not work out in the Kaisertal nature reserve. The billionaire Henkel family, who have been leaseholders for 70 (!) years, have not only met their shooting quota, but have exceeded it by 180 percent. Even environmental officer Thimo Fiesel admits this.

But if this is a fact, then the damage to the forest cannot be as exorbitant as claimed - or the municipal forestry department is doing too little to protect the forest.

Neos-GR Birgit Obermüller

(Bild: Tiroler Landtag/Christanell)

Poor quota in the city district
In any case, the "lack of regeneration dynamics" is cited by Mayor Martin Krumschnabel and his Green junior coalition partner Fiesel as a reason for not renewing the contract with Henkel in 2025. If the city operates the Kaisertal as its own hunting ground, hunting permits could be sold and even more could be shot, which could limit the "high browsing dynamics" and protect the water supply. "Ultimately, that's what it's all about," confirms Fiesel.

Kufstein's environmental and forestry officer Thimo Fiesel (Greens)

(Bild: krone.tv)

However, the shooting rate in the existing "Stadtwald" hunting ground is a meagre 60 percent.

According to Neos, a loss of millions is imminent
This is the result of an information evening for local councillors on Tuesday. The discussion lasted two hours. It is not yet clear whether the issue will now also come before the municipal council. Neos-GR LA Birgit Obermüller puts the loss for the city as a result of Henkel's departure at 3 million euros, extrapolated over 10 years.

"As long as the tunnel into the Kaisertal did not exist, Henkel was good enough to take on a lot. Since the road was built in 2006, hunting has suddenly become interesting for others too!"