1/2 One of the dogs that may soon no longer be allowed to walk around freely. (photo: Raoul Cartens)
The petition against closing the dog walking area in the Ulvenhoutse Voorbos has been signed by 1,560 concerned dog owners. Initiator Ilse Burema presented the digital protest signatures to Breda councilor Peter Bakker on Tuesday evening. “The municipality needs to hear citizens and we want to be heard,” said a combative Burema.
Worried dog owners gathered at the Jeugdland sports complex in Ulvenhout to make their major concerns clear to the councilor.
It has not yet been determined, but the municipality of Breda is considering closing the forest area to allow dogs to run free. Because the Ulvenhout Voorbos is in bad shape, due to dehydration and too much nitrogen emissions. So far it has not been possible to patch up nature here, so other measures are being considered, such as closing the off-leash area. Because, so the idea is, the droppings of stray four-legged friends are also harmful to nature.
“We are looking at all options, but the law obliges us to maintain the nature in this forest.”
But dog owners doubt whether that is the case. “The off-leash area is located right along the highway, where cars and trucks place a much greater burden on nature. And agriculture in the area also contributes to this, just like the pollution from the Antwerp port area that falls here,” says Ingrid Willemsens. She has serious doubts about whether the studies into the pollution of the forest are correct.
According to the councilor, the time has come when the dog walking area will have to be closed. “We are looking at all options, but the law obliges us to maintain the nature in this forest. The easy measures have been taken, but they do not work sufficiently. So we are now looking at more complicated solutions and closing the off-leash area is one of them. one of them,” says Bakker.
“Dogs are very close, while the industry is completely in Antwerp.”
He also recognizes that highways, agriculture and industry are major causes of damage to nature. “But the dogs are very close, while the industry is completely in Antwerp. But we also look at the farmers in the area. And that shows how complicated these considerations are. But the first thing is that measures are needed so that this beautiful forest recovers.”
The councilor also alluded to moving the dog walking area to another place in the neighborhood where nature is not in trouble. “But all this must be thoroughly investigated before we can make any decisions. I hope we will have insight into this in the first quarter of 2024.”
YOU MAY ALSO FIND THIS INTERESTING:
Dog owners have been protesting for some time against the closure of the Ulvenhout off-leash area