Strict conditions

Local residents take issue with the EU protection of the Bluntau Valley

The beautiful lakes in the valley are actually excavation lakes for the construction of the A10 highway.(Bild: Tröster Andreas)

lThis popular Golling excursion destination has been an EU protected area since this year. As a result, some residents of the Bluntau Valley are annoyed. They used to farm in the forest or graze their cows there. The stricter protection now makes life more difficult for the locals...

"A lot has changed since joining the EU," says Wolfgang Wieser. The retired bank employee from Golling complains that even the Bluntau Valley has been affected by the changes. The head of the valley was designated as an EU protected area when it joined the EU, which meant even stricter protection requirements. The local residents, most of whom manage forest and land in the Bluntau Valley, wanted to prevent EU protection. They feared that they would no longer be allowed to cut down even one tree.

Millions in fines threatened
They approached Governor Wilfried Haslauer several times. "Haslauer listened to us and held out. In the end, our efforts didn't achieve anything," says Wieser. Signature campaigns against stricter protection remained useless. The state politicians caved in at the turn of 2024. Also because of the threat of millions in fines from Brussels. The Natura 2000 area became an EU protected area.

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The Bluntau Valley is known far beyond the Tennengau region as a natural jewel and excursion destination. Yet it is a habitat created by man. The forest has been managed since time immemorial. The lakes are excavation lakes for the construction of the A10 at the time. They are fed exclusively by groundwater.

Example: European protected area Kalkhochalpen
54 interested parties tried to fight the protection of the Bluntautal valley. Including Wolfgang Wieser as a forest owner in the valley. The management of the forest is actually much more difficult due to the EU protection, for example when building roads.

The Kalkhochalpen nature reserve, which has been under European protection for some time, serves as an example for local residents. A helicopter supply flight is almost impossible there, for example. "We would be happy if it had remained a protected part of the landscape," says a farmer who does not wish to be named. "With EU protection, I have to question whether I should continue to do all this to myself."