world news - 26.01.2007
Forests must be included in the Danish rural development programme
The Danish Forest Association requests the Danish Government to
include forestry in its national programme for rural development on an
equal footing with agriculture.
The
Government intends to spend 6 billion DKK (ca 800 million ˆ) on "the
biggest rural area investment project in Danish history". The European
Union will pay half and Danish tax payers will pay the other half.
80 % of the money will be spent on improving agricultural
competitiveness (axis 1) and on improving the environment and the
landscape (axis 2). But Danish forestry is to be left out of this
project.
Leaving forestry aside makes no sense at all;
• It is in contradiction with the European Union's intentions for the rural development programme.
• Leaving forestry out is also in contradiction with the announced
intentions of the project to improve competitiveness in the forestry
sector.
• The purpose of injecting new life into rural areas will not come true
if the enormous resources and opportunities offered by the forestry
sector are not exploited under the auspices of the programme. Beauty,
calm, health, outdoor activities, tourism, employment and wood — the
most environment friendly raw material -, biological diversity and
environment conservation; all these values will be missed.
• Leaving forestry out demonstrates a lack of perspective and it is a waste of resources.
What more is required?
Danish forestry must be fully included in the rural development
programme, in line with EU's intentions. Forestry must have access to
funds on the same basis as agriculture, both under axis 1
(competitiveness of agriculture and forestry), and under axis 2
(environment and landscape).
The Danish Forest Association requests the Danish Government and
the "Folketing", i.e. the Danish Parliament, to consistently write
"rural management" instead of "agriculture" in the programme, as well
as in future legislation concerning this programme.
See also:
- — Greenpeace: Gov’t auction of Indonesian forests is scandalous
- — About 12 million cubic metres on the ground after new January storm in Sweden
- — Indonesia Wants Countries Paid to Keep Forests
- — UralExpoWOOD 2007
- — Foreign haulage contractors will be permitted to work in storm stricken forests in Sweden