All seven activists were removed from the Sterrebos by the police on Tuesday. This is reported by the police. Not everyone surrendered voluntarily, after which the police used force.
The police, the municipality of Sittard-Geleen and the Public Prosecution Service ordered the evacuation of the forest on Tuesday morning.
Prevent hood
For more than a week, activists had been sitting in trees in the Sterrebos. This is private property of car manufacturer VDL Nedcar in Born. The demonstrators tried to prevent the felling of the forest for a new factory hall. The felling of the forest has now started.
Read in this live blog Everything back about the eviction of the Sterrebos.
eviction
The eviction of the activists did not go smoothly. The activists hid high in the trees, forcing officers to use a cherry picker. The police had to use force in at least one arrest. According to the police, this was necessary because the activist created a dangerous situation. A larger aerial platform was brought for the last activist. He was too high up in the trees.
Is this really the last video from the #sterrebos †
— RedHetSterrebos (@RedHetSterrebos) February 8, 2022
An eighth activist was arrested outside the forest.
Ed, the last activist in the trees
The very last activist left was ‘Ed’. Every time the police climbing team climbed a little higher, Ed crawled even higher up the tree. In the end, the activist came to about 5.5 hours after his last colleagues down. The experienced climber knew well what he was doing all along. Also in 2005 he was hanging between the branches on Limburg soil. Then he fought for the preservation of the Schinveldse Bossen, which then partly had to make way for a NATO air base. Since then, he has campaigned more often against forest occupations.
‘Terrible’
Action group Save the Sterrebos previously called the evacuation of the forest terrible. “The forest can now be felled and VDL shows that they have not listened to us. The saplings that are moved can never replace an entire forest and its habitat.”
Save the Sterrebos informs L1 that there are (for the time being) no new demonstrations planned. The mayor of Sittard-Geleen, Hans Verheijen, responded on Tuesday evening. “It has been good. The activists have had ample opportunity to make their voices heard,” he writes in a press release. “In the preparations, the safety of activists as well as security guards, police officers and employees of emergency services has been explicitly taken into account.”
Agreement on nature compensation
On Tuesday morning, VDL Nedcar announced that the company has concluded an agreement with the De Groene Sporenwolf (DGS) foundation for nature compensation. It would be a deal of ‘many millions extra’, says a spokesperson for VDL Nedcar.
Also read: Millions deal for nature makes cutting Sterrebos possible
In return for the nature compensation, DGS and Stichting Ecoologisch Vleermuis Onderzoek Nederland (SEVON) have withdrawn their ongoing objection procedures against the area development at the Council of State. As a result, VDL Nedcar was able to start felling the forest on Tuesday afternoon.
Compensation
Among other things, VDL Nedcar will move 55 trees, with a minimum diameter of 40 centimeters, to the adjacent Wolfrath area. In addition, the company will make an extra contribution to the quality of life in and around the residential areas in the immediate vicinity of Nedcar. For example, there will be a new planting of green areas near Nieuwstadt. There will also be a pedestrian bridge connecting the provincial road (N297) and the walking route from Nieuwstadt to the Limbrichterbos. Nedcar will also commit itself to the realization of a noise barrier and a natural wall south of Nieuwstadt.
Director John van Soerland of VDL Nedcar says in a statement that he is pleased to have reached an agreement: “We value a good relationship with our local residents and the quality of life of the residential areas near our factory is close to our heart.”
Also read: Occupation does not affect Nedcar talks about forest
Citizen participation
DGS and SEVON regret the felling of the forest, but recognize the good will of VDL Nedcar. “A permanent collaboration like this, between companies, local residents and municipalities, is also a boost for citizen participation. Consultation with citizens is important in the coming period for the use of these resources.”
The action in the Sterrebos kept people busy. For example, there was a demonstration last Saturday to support the activist. About 250 people attended.