Nearly a thousand trees were destroyed in the Emmerdennen forest in Emmen in recent weeks. In a forest section on the side of the Emmerhout residential area, large and small specimens have disappeared here and there. Local residents are shocked.
“I have lived here for over forty years, but I have never experienced such a demolition before. Moreover, the heavy machines have caused a lot of destruction,” says local resident Henk Brands.
Together with neighbors, he sounded the alarm at Staatsbosbeheer – manager of the forest. “I understand that regular maintenance has to be carried out, but I don’t understand what has happened now. In my opinion, felling has now been done indiscriminately.” Neighborhood member Roelof Schepers: “Every time I walk around here, I worry about the state of the forest. I think it’s a real shame. And what was it necessary for? I don’t know.”
The two do have suspicions. Schepers: “It strikes me that the large, straight specimens in particular have disappeared. These are trees that are fifty to eighty years old, from which you can make beautiful planks. I have the feeling that Staatsbosbeheer mainly needed money.” Brands thinks so too. “Pure profiteering, this.”
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