The arrival of three windmills in the outskirts of Heesch has been canceled for the time being. This became apparent on Thursday evening during the council meeting of the municipality of Bernheze. Local residents do not like the plan for the windmills. A citizens’ initiative to plant a forest instead of windmills may offer the solution.
Lydia Fraaije is the inventor of the alternative plan. Her performance in the council meeting Thursday evening went as hoped. All councilors agreed to further discuss the citizens’ initiative in the Spatial Affairs Committee, which will meet again in February. The council spoke highly of the citizens involved.
“We are very happy with residents who think along with the municipality in creative solutions,” said CDA councilor Mart Smits. And about the proposal. “It’s special that we have the chance to do something with that as Bernheze,” said D66 councilor Matthieu Bosch. Fraaije spoke as a representative on behalf of more than 300 initiators.
Climate-regulating forest against global warming
Fraaije used a quote from Einstein to reinforce her story. “We cannot solve new problems in an old way of thinking.” The architect is specialized in biomimicry. That means she uses the knowledge of nature to find solutions to problems. She previously contributed ideas about major issues of Rijkswaterstaat and Shell. Calculating the amount of carbon a tree stores annually, the citizens’ initiative thinks it would take just seven football fields of forest to save enough carbon dioxide.
“The great thing is, sixty hectares of forest must be planted in Heeze West. That is twelve times the target that we should achieve”, she confirms the feasibility of the plan. “A wind turbine has a lifespan of twenty years. A forest lasts a lifetime, so this is a climate-proof solution for the future.” To save enough energy, 46 hectares of forest would be needed, which also falls within the already planned reforestation.
The plan also lists other additional benefits. “The air is purified, water is purified and it provides more biodiversity for surrounding farmers.” They also think they can derive economic benefits from it.
Prior to her participation in the council, Fraaije also offered the council a tree. “Hopefully the first tree of the forest. We wish much wisdom for now and for the next generations.”
Political and scientific support
The plan therefore counts on the enthusiasm of the councilors, but also on a critical note. For example, from Progressive Bernheze councilor Jesse Jansen. “I haven’t seen a tree that regenerates energy yet and we have a lot of questions about that.”
Fraaije and the other initiators are going to work to create support in national politics as well. They have already found scientists who want to collect data to substantiate the plan scientifically. All this needs to be worked out in the near future.
Windmills off the track for the time being
The citizens’ initiative is in line with an amendment that was adopted in the council later in the evening, at the initiative of the SP. Council members therefore agreed to postpone the controversial plan to place three towering windmills in the outskirts of Heesch, near Vinkel.
The council wants to await national policy on the installation of wind turbines and first look broadly at all possible alternative forms of energy generation. In any case, something must be done to achieve the climate targets for municipalities. There is also the option of opting for a solar panel park of 26 hectares. Citizens don’t like that either. Fraaije hopes that planting a climate-neutral forest can be the alternative solution.
In the video below, Fraaije explains the citizens’ initiative: